An overview of the strategy to advance the cause for developing countries G77+ China and Africa National Consultative Seminar on climate change Cape town, 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)Adaptation b)Finance c)Technology transfer d)REDD + (Reduction of emission from deforestation and desertification) e)Mitigation

Africa’s approach!

Africa’s position Africa 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 Protocol Africa’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 effort There 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 safe b)A fair contribution by the wealthy countries c)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 commitments b)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 agreement b)What need to be achieved during COP 17 c)Future relationship between UNFCC and Kyoto d)Emission reduction targets: Peak emissions and 2020 targets e)International consultations and analysis of mitigation actions f)Financing g)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