An overview of the strategy to advance the cause for developing countries

G77+ China and AfricaNational Consultative Seminar on climate change

Cape town, 28-29 October 2011

Thokozani Simelane

Building tomorrow today; working towards a national consensus on climate change in the African Continent

Pillars of negotiations

What G77 +China and Africa are pursuing?

Reach consensus on:a)Adaptationb)Financec) Technology transferd)REDD + (Reduction of emission from

deforestation and desertification)e)Mitigation

Africa’s approach!

Africa’s positionAfrica is seeking a balanced and ambitious outcome, that is based on evidence and science, that honors the promises countries made to each other in the UN Climate Convention and Kyoto ProtocolAfrica’s opinion is that there is a need to agree to a level of cooperative global efforts that cuts global emissions to safe levels for Africa and the World.There is a need to close the mitigation gap by ensuring that the developed countries take on fair and appropriate contributions to the global effortThere is a need to close the finance gap by ensuring that developed countries meet their commitments to enable the adaptation and mitigation efforts in developing countries to ensure that these are protected from the worst effects of climate change

What Africa seeks to achieve?

a) A goal that keeps Africa and the world safeb) A fair contribution by the wealthy countriesc) Adequate finance for efforts by poorer

countries

What Africa is demanding

• Africa calls for all countries to honor the deal that was struck in the 2007 Bali Road Map

• Africa is of the view that 100% of the of global emissions must be covered under the three pillars agreed:-a) Firstly the developed country Kyoto Parties honor

their Kyoto commitmentsb) The US must take on comparable commitments

under the Convention c) All developing countries must take on “nationally

appropriate” mitigation actions

What has influenced Africa’s position?

– Country positions– Continental positions– Economic blocs

G77 + China

The main sticking point with regard to COP and G77 + China has been a demand by some of the developed nations that developing economies like China, India, Brazil and South Africa be required to commit to legally binding emissions reduction targets

G77+ China’s demand

G77+ China remain opposed to attempts to phase out the Kyto Protocol

Challenge: Group of influential industrialized countries including Japan, Russia, Canada and US have indicated that they will not sign up to a second commitment of the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012

Instead they are calling for a new international treat to curb green house emissions

G77+ China’s position

The centrality of the UNFCCC must be preserved and respected with negotiations being conducted within the framework of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

The process must be open, democratic, party driven, transparent, inclusive, legitimate and accountable and centered on the implementation of the Bali Action Plan

Counter action

The EU is leading proposal for two parallel treaties that extends the Kyoto Protocol for those covered by the agreement, while also imposing binding emissions targets on countries that currently face solid emissions reduction commitments

Here China is exposed and is likely to oppose!

Key concerns –general overview

a) Legal status of the agreementb) What need to be achieved during COP 17c) Future relationship between UNFCC and Kyotod) Emission reduction targets: Peak emissions and

2020 targetse) International consultations and analysis of

mitigation actionsf) Financingg) Timeline and work programme

What Africa need to do?

1) Africa need to develop self reliance, safeguarding and maximizing the potential and available, technical, financial and human resources that could be at her disposal

2) There is a need for Africa to work out clear alternatives and strategies, building on its common position that would encourage more

focused leadership of the climate agenda

Thank You