STRATEGIES FOR ADAPTATION & MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE ESCWA REGION By BADER OMAR AL DAFA USG & EXECUTIVE SECRETARY UN-ESCWA REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE REGIONAL COMISSIONS SIDE-EVENT 12 December 2007 Grand Hyatt – Bali

A. Climate Change in the ESCWA Region Displays Four Defining Characteristics I.Asymmetry between contribution and impact. II.The region is likely to experience the entire spectrum of CC consequences. III.A region that is perennially crisis prone. CC will exacerbate the struggle over resources and add new crises. IV.A region that is highly dependent on natural capital; namely: abundant oil & gas and scarce land & water- CC will compromise all of these resources.

I. Asymmetry between Contribution and Impact 1.Despite the fact that ESCWA countries do not contribute significantly to Global Warming, they will be disproportionately affected by CC. oThe ESCWA region comprises around 3 % of the world’s population oIt contributes 3% to the world’s CO2 emissions, unlike the rest of the regions which contribute far beyond their population shares

II. Likely to Experience the Entire Spectrum of CC Consequences 1.Drier & warmer weather: reduces quantity and quality of agricultural products & threatens food security. 2.Spread of many types of Pests: increases breeding seasons and pathogen growth rates. 3.Reduced biodiversity and further desertification. 4.Increased forest wildfires. 5.Severe weather episodes: impact on water quality and quantity.

6.Rise of sea water levels: threat of sea water intrusion and land losses: oLow-lying coastal zones: Nile Delta, marsh-lands in South Iraq. oKey economic sectors are threatened: fish aquaculture, agriculture & tourism installations. oQuality & quantity of groundwater supplies are reduced.

III. A Crisis Prone Region will be Further Destabilized 1.Water scarcity is critically exacerbated. o80% of renewable fresh water resources originate from outside the region o11 out of 13 member countries lie below the water poverty line of 1000 m3/p/year oReduction in the flow of Euphrates and Tigris by around 30-50% oAn increase by 30% OR a decrease by 70% in the flow of the Nile 2.Inter & intra-regional conflicts: competition over varying & declining natural resources. 3.Higher unemployment due to loss of agriculture. 4.Displacement & mass immigration by cross-border movements of environmental refugees.

POTENTIAL IMPACT OF CC ON WATER RESOURCES IN ESCWA REGION

IV. Heavy Dependence on Natural Resources 1.Non-renewable resources. oOil and water never mix except in the ESCWA region. CC is the mixer. 2.Producer vs. consumer responsibility. oThe region produces the oil, the consumers create the CO2 emissions

B. Factors Influencing the Position of ESCWA Member Countries in Addressing CC 1.Justifiable fear for losing rent on their oil. 2.Inadequate resources to cope with the disruption. in climate in the non-oil economies. 3.Fundamental feeling of unfairness. 4.Keen not to be portrayed as spectators. 5.Common but differentiated responsibilities.

C. Scope of ESCWA’s support to its Member Countries 1.Multi-disciplinary capacity in: oDeveloping innovative policy options oPromoting integrated sustainable development strategies oBuilding Capacity and increasing awareness oReducing disaster risk oIncreasing the resilience of communities 2.Focus on inter and intra-regional cooperation opportunities: joint management of trans-boundary shared water resources.

IN ADAPTATION: 1.Prevention of losses by building or modifying infrastructures 2.Reduction of losses by reallocating water resources and redesigning crop mix 3.Sharing or spreading losses by designing social safety nets 4.Changing locations and rehabilitation D. ESCWA’s Proposed Approach in Addressing CC in the Region

IN MITIGATION: 1.Promoting climate-friendly policies & technologies. 2.Promoting economic incentives. 3.Encouraging carbon trading, carbon marketing. 4.Promoting renewable energy technologies: solar & wind turbine. 5.Supporting industrial, residential and commercial sectors in reducing energy consumption 6.Assisting transport sectors in switching to less carbon-intensive fuel & encouraging mass transport systems.

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