Climate Change 1

Palestinian Environmental law No. 7 (1999) الفصل الثاني : البيئة الهوائية مادة (19) أ ‌. تحدد الوزارة بالتعاون مع الجهات المختصة المقاييس المتعلقة بضبط نسب ملوثات الهواء التي قد تسبب الأذى والضرر للصحة العامة أو الرفاه الاجتماعي أو البيئة. ب ‌. على كل منشأة تقام في فلسطين أن تلتزم بهذه المقاييس، وعلى المنشآت القائمة تعديل أوضاعها بما يتفق وهذه المقاييس خلال فترة زمنية لا تزيد عن ثلاث سنوات. a)The Ministry, in cooperation with the specialized agencies, shall specify standards to regulate the percentage of pollutants in the air which may cause harm or damage to public health, social welfare and the environment; b)Each facility, which will be established in Palestine, shall abide to these standards; every existing facility shall make necessary changes in a manner that makes it conform to these standards within a period, which does not exceed three years. 2

Palestinian Environmental law No. 7 (1999) الفصل الثاني : البيئة الهوائية مادة (20) على صاحب المنشأة توفير سبل الحماية اللازمة للعاملين والمجاورين للمنشأة تنفيذا لشروط السلامة والصحة المهنية ضد أي تسرب أو انبعاث لأي ملوثات داخل مكان العمل أو خارجه. Every facility owner shall provide all means to ensure the necessary protection for workers and the neighbors of the facility, in compliance with the conditions of occupational safety and health, against any leak or emission of pollutants in or out the working place. 3

Palestinian Environmental law No. 7 (1999) الفصل الثاني : البيئة الهوائية مادة (21) يحظر التدخين في وسائل النقل والأماكن العامة المغلقة. It is forbidden to smoke in transportation means and closed public areas. 4

Palestinian Environmental law No. 7 (1999) الفصل الثاني : البيئة الهوائية مادة (22) لا يجوز استخدام آلات أو محركات أو مركبات ينتج عنها عادم يخالف المقاييس المحددة بموجب أحكام هذا القانون.. It shall be prohibited to utilize machines, engines or vehicles that generate exhaust that does not comply with the standards specified in accordance with the provisions of this law. 5

Palestinian Environmental law No. 7 (1999) الفصل الثاني البيئة الهوائية مادة (24) تعمل الوزارة على الحد من استنزاف طبقة الأوزون وفقا لما نصت عليه المعاهدات الدولية التي تلتزم بها فلسطين وذلك باتخاذ الإجراءات المناسبة فيما يتعلق باستيراد أو إنتاج أو استعمال أية مواد كيماوية تسبب ضررا لذلك. 6

International Conventions Ozone 1985 Vienna Convention: The Protection of the Ozone Layer 1987 Montreal Protocol: Substances that Depletes the Ozone Layer Climate change 1992 UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE 1997 KYOTO PROTOCOL 7

1985 Vienna Convention It acts as a framework for the international efforts to protect the ozone layer. However, it does not include legally binding reduction goals for the use of CFCs (Chloro-fluoro- carbon) the main chemical agents causing ozone depletion. These are laid out in the accompanying Montreal Protocol 8

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1985 Vienna Convention Article 2: General obligations 1.The Parties shall take appropriate measures to protect human health and the environment against adverse effects resulting or likely to result from human activities which modify or are likely to modify the ozone layer. 2.The Parties shall, in accordance with the means at their disposal and their capabilities: a)Co-operate by means of systematic observations, research and information exchange in order to better understand and assess the effects of human activities on the ozone layer. b)Adopt appropriate legislative or administrative measures and co-operate in harmonizing appropriate policies to control, limit, reduce or prevent human activities that likely to have adverse effects on the ozone layer; c)Co-operate in the formulation of agreed measures, procedures and standards for the implementation of this Convention. d)Co-operate with competent international bodies to implement effectively this Convention and protocols to which they are party. 3.The provisions of this Convention shall in no way affect the right of Parties to adopt, in accordance with international law, domestic measures additional to those referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 above. 4.The application of this article shall be based on relevant scientific and technical considerations. 10

1985 Vienna Convention Article 3: Research and systematic observations The Parties undertake directly or through competent international bodies, measures to conduct research and scientific assessments on: a)The physical and chemical processes that may affect the ozone layer; b)The human health and other biological effects deriving from any modifications of the ozone layer, particularly those resulting from changes in ultra-violet solar radiation having biological effects (UV-B); c)Climatic effects from any modifications of the ozone layer; d)Effects deriving from any modifications of the ozone layer and any consequent change in UV-B radiation on natural and synthetic materials useful to mankind; e)Substances, practices, processes and activities that may affect the ozone layer, and their cumulative effects; f)Alternative substances and technologies; g)Related socio-economic matters; 11

Montreal Protocol Substances that Depletes the Ozone Layer

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Montreal Protocol Substances that Depletes the Ozone Layer

Montreal Protocol Substances that Depletes the Ozone Layer

1992 UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE Article 2: OBJECTIVE to achieve, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention, stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened, to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner. 16

1992 UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE Article 3: PRINCIPLES The Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations on the basis of equity and respective capabilities The specific needs and special circumstances of developing country Parties Policies and measures to deal with climate change should be cost-effective The Parties have a right to, and should, promote sustainable development The Parties should cooperate to promote a supportive and open international economic system that would lead to sustainable economic growth and development 17

1992 UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE Article 3: COMMITMENTS a)Develop, periodically update, publish national inventories of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol b)Develop, periodically update, publish national programs to mitigate climate change by addressing anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol c)Promote practices and processes that control, reduce or prevent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol in all relevant sectors, including the energy, transport, industry, agriculture, forestry and waste management sectors; d)Promote and cooperate in scientific, technological, technical, socio- economic and other research, systematic observation and development of data archives related to the climate system

Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period The major distinction between the Protocol and the Convention is that while the Convention encouraged industrialized countries to stabilize GHG emissions, the Protocol commits them to do so. Recognizing that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions the Protocol places a heavier burden on them under the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities.”

The Kyoto Mechanisms Emissions trading – known as “the carbon market" Clean development mechanism (CDM) Joint implementation (JI). 20

Emissions Trading Emissions trading, allows countries that have emission units to spare to sell this excess capacity to countries that are over their targets. Thus, a new commodity was created in the form of emission reductions or removals. Since carbon dioxide is the principal greenhouse gas, Carbon is now tracked and traded like any other commodity. This is known as the "carbon market" 21

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), CDM defined in Article 12 of the Protocol, allows a country with an emission-reduction commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement an emission-reduction project in developing countries. Such projects can earn saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one ton of CO2, which can be counted towards meeting Kyoto targets. A CDM project activity might involve, for example, a rural electrification project using solar panels or the installation of more energy-efficient boilers. The mechanism stimulates sustainable development and emission reductions, while giving industrialized countries some flexibility in how they meet their emission reduction or limitation targets. 22

Joint Implementation JI defined in Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol, allows a country with an emission reduction commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to earn emission reduction units (ERUs) from an emission-reduction or emission removal project in another Annex B Party, each equivalent to one ton of CO2, which can be counted towards meeting its Kyoto target. Joint implementation offers Parties a flexible and cost- efficient means of fulfilling a part of their Kyoto commitments, while the host Party benefits from foreign investment and technology transfer. 23