Binding emission targets please

2009-11-10 22:50

Johannesburg - South Africa expects legally binding carbon emission reduction targets to emerge from the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen in December, the Environmental and Water Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said on Tuesday.

"It is clear to us that in Copenhagen, Annex I Parties to the Kyoto Protocol must commit to legally binding emission reduction targets for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, of at least 40& below 1990 levels by 2020," she said in an address for delivery at a consultation session in Pretoria.

"Further, non-Kyoto Annex I Parties, such as the US, must commit to legally binding targets comparable with those of Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol."

There had to be a global agreement to bolster access to scaled-up finance and technology, to reduce vulnerability and build resilience to the impacts of climate change, particularly in Africa.

"Finally, developed countries must comply with their obligations under the Convention to provide finance, technology and capacity building support to enable developing countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change and to take mitigation actions."

She said the message from the perspective of developing countries was clear, that it took its responsibilities seriously.

"We are willing to do more, but developed countries must show the necessary leadership, take ambitious mitigation targets for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and comply with their Convention obligations on adaptation, finance and technology."

Financial concerns

She cautioned that the current dynamics indicated that it was unlikely "that the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol, will be able to adopt outcomes in Copenhagen... that will result in the strengthening of the international climate change regime."

The reasons for this were few developed countries showed the political will to show leadership by taking on legally binding mitigation commitments.

Also, the US insisted that its commitment would be taken in domestic law only and would not be subject to international compliance and there were "few political signals" from developed countries on the finance required.

"Instead of leadership from our developed country partners, we are hearing: 'that finance must be left to the markets and that developing countries must pay their way; that technology is simply a matter of co-operation on research, rather than real technology transfer and diffusion; that adaptation is a national responsibility that must be funded domestically by developing countries'," she said.

"These signals are taking us far away from South Africa's expectations and hope for an ambitious and legally binding two track outcome that is inclusive, fair and effective."

She said SA would continue to deliberate in "good spirits" and do "everything in its power to broker a deal which results in a strengthened and durable international climate change regime".

South Africa would not accept a weak deal, she added, and it would not be pressured into accepting weak outcomes in the December conference.

"We cannot accept the demise of the Kyoto Protocol; we cannot turn the clock back on more than a decade of progress in building the international climate regime; and we cannot start a process of renegotiation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change."

- SAPA