CLIMATE CHANGE: GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE ATTESTS TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000648

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV KGHG UNGA
SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE: GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE ATTESTS TO
MOMENTUM FOR ACTION

REF: USUN NEW YORK 302

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Summary
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1. Nearly 100 member states delivered remarks during the July
31-August 2 informal thematic debate of the General Assembly
on climate change. The theme of "common but differentiated
responsibilities" ran through the speeches with developed
countries pledging continued reductions of greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions while developing countries asked for
assistance (financial and technological) to aid in their
mitigation and adaptation efforts. Though statements
contained few surprises, the high turnout during the event
gave strong evidence that momentum for action on climate
change is building rapidly in the United Nations. End Summary

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SECRETARY-GENERAL, GA PRESIDENT, UNFCCC SPEAK

SIPDIS
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2. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke at the outset of the
informal thematic debate of the General Assembly, "Climate
change as a global challenge," saying that by the end of this
year he wants negotiations to commence on a post-2012
agreement that incorporates climate control, sustainable
development and poverty reduction, which should be completed
by 2009 to avoid a gap between the first and second
commitment periods of the Kyoto Protocol. Ban also vowed to
make the UN itself climate neutral under the "Greening the
UN" initiative (details of which will be presented at a
future date).


3. The opening remarks of the President of the General
Assembly, H.E. Sheikha Haya Rashed al Khalifa, raised the
oft-referenced Rio Principle 7 on "common but differentiated
responsibilities and respective capabilities" for addressing
adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable development. All
countries must adapt to the inevitable effects of climate
change while also reducing GHG emissions (mitigation),though
climate actions should not harm economic growth and
development. Khalifa was the first of many speakers to
underscore that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) is the appropriate forum to negotiate a global deal
beyond the Kyoto Protocol that is equitable, fair, and
ambitious.


4. In his remarks as part of an expert panel, UNFCCC
Executive Director Yvo de Boer described his vision for the
next framework agreement. He called for a climate change
regime where industrialized countries take the lead through
national action to further reduce emissions, developing
countries limit emission growth into the future, and concerns
over economic competitiveness and additional costs of
adaptation are taken into account.

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DEVELOPED STATES VIEWS
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5. In their statements, many developed countries fully
accepted their historical responsibility for GHG emissions
leading to climate change and pledged domestic mitigation
programs and aid to developing countries for both adaptation
and mitigation. EU members referred repeatedly to their
commitment to achieve a 20 percent reduction in GHG emissions
by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. Illustrating that
aggressive mitigation efforts are compatible with vibrant
economies, Denmark boasted that over the past 12 years its
economy grew by 30 percent while gross energy consumption
remained stable and carbon dioxide emissions actually reduced
by 13 to 14 percent. Denmark focused on increasing its
renewable energy supply. The Netherlands devoted its
statement to describing regulatory policies that induce the
private sector to invest massively in research and
development to spur innovation in environmentally friendly
technologies. Considerable attention was given to the U.S.
statement and its delivery by Ambassador Khalilzad (text
available at www.un.int/usa),while Russia simply repeated
its brief statement from the April climate debate in the UN
Security Council.

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DEVELOPING COUNTRIES' NUANCES
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6. Developing countries' statements had common themes
including the importance of "common but differentiated
responsibilities," the historical responsibility of the

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developed nations, the need for financial assistance,
technology transfers, and capacity building for mitigation
and adaptation, and the need for early warning systems for
natural disasters and reducing vulnerability to them.
Developing countries were split, however, among those that
sought to avoid any mitigation responsibilities and those
willing to take action if given the proper incentives and
support.


7. Warning Flags: Both China and India stated that developing
nations should be exempt from controlling their emissions.
"Environmental concerns," said India, "should not become
additional conditionalities on growth in developing
countries." India rather defiantly suggested using equality
in the per capita share of GHG emissions as a fair
distribution model. To improve living standards and continue
being the "world's" manufacturer, China gave notice that
"development emissions may inevitably increase."


8. Small Island states fearing climate change as an
existential threat, and developing countries with potentially
lucrative large carbon sinks such as rain forests, took a far
more flexible view toward mitigation obligations. Such
countries, like Brazil and Indonesia, said the principle of
"common but differentiated responsibilities" does not exempt
any party of its role in combating climate change.
Developing countries should, however, be given incentives to
take mitigation action, such as financial assistance,
capacity building and technology transfer. Even without such
assistance, several nations have already taken some action,
such as to combat deforestation and desertification. Island
states such as the Maldives asked when rhetoric on mitigation
would be matched by deeds.

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COMMENT
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9. Even without the high rhetoric, the sheer number of
national statements, the debate's length (an extra day was
added to allow all statements to be heard) and media
attention all showed clear evidence that momentum on
addressing climate change is building rapidly within the UN
system. Guest panelists, UN officials and national delegates
alike remarked on the marked difference even since the April
climate change debate in the Security Council. This wave of
momentum, however, also put in clear relief China's caution
and India's truculence toward suggestions that the developing
states will have to join developed economies in reducing GHG
emissions.
KHALILZAD