INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATION OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
AILAC
Opening Statement for the COP22/CMP12 Opening Plenary
Marrakesh, Morocco, November 7th, 2016
Mr. Chair.
Distinguished Delegates.
1. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the AILAC group of countries: Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Peru. Allow me to begin by associating our statement to that delivered by Thailand on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
Mr. Chair,
Colleagues,
2. History has been written. 2016 will be remembered as the year of the entry into force of a multilateral agreement that revolutionized our development system. This is indeed a moment to celebrate. A moment of hope. We must seize this great opportunity to improve the future of mankind.
3. Yet, we have the responsibility to continue writing together this chapter of modern history. We foresee significant work ahead of us. It is a must that we work together in a constructive and positive manner to preserve the integrity and ambition of the Paris Agreement throughout this enterprise.
4. In this spirit, AILAC expects that during these Conferences in the beautiful city of Marrakesh, we are able to reach progress in the following areas of deliverables: 1) designing the Paris rulebook, 2) a successful and inclusive first Conference of the Parties of the Paris Agreement, CMA, 3) progress towards the implementation of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, and 4) a meaningful High Level Segment.
Mr. Chair,
Distinguished Colleagues.
5. Let me take a minute to disaggregate AILAC´s expectations on these areas.
a. Firstly, on the Paris rulebook. After our meeting in Bonn last May, most of us took the time to sit back and define how to frame this so called rulebook for the Paris Agreement. A wealth of innovative proposals is now available to us as presented by different Parties. We must progress in the next weeks in crafting operative understandings for the Paris rulebook, including with regards to NDCs, the Global Stocktake, the enhanced transparency framework, all 3 elements under Article 6, Adaptation, Loss and Damage, Finance, Technology and Capacity Building. Specifically, we need to agree here in Marrakesh on the terms of reference to the Paris Committee on Capacity Building, demonstrate progress on the implementation of the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency and adopt the terms of reference for the review of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage.
b. Secondly, on a successful and inclusive CMA1. The most important headline of our meetings in Marrakesh will be the successful development of the CMA1. AILAC foresees the need for the CMA1 to decide on a clear timeline for its upcoming work and to send a straight message to the world in terms of the commitment of the Parties of the Convention and of the Agreement to their implementation and towards the achievement of their long-term goals.
c. Thirdly, on progress on the implementation of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Provided that the achievement of the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement requires for immediate and deep emission reduction cuts, AILAC calls upon all Parties to ratify the Doha Amendment and ensure that emission reduction commitments under it are properly operationalized. We now know that political will can accelerate ratification processes. Let us engage in a global effort to also make this a reality.
d. Fourthly, on a meaningful High Level Segment. Our Ministers will come from every corner of the world to take part of this very important moment in history. It is our hope that we also get to engage them in meaningful discussions on climate finance, global climate action and sustainable economic transition and diversification, and obtain their high-level guidance on the roadmap for our work.
6. The entry into force of the Paris Agreement evidences that the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA), as well as other constituted bodies such as the Adaptation Committee, the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG), the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (WIM ExComm), the Technology Executive Committee (TEC), the Climate Technology Center and Network (CTCN), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), play a key role in further refining the elements that are necessary for the Agreement to be operational and above all, to effectively deliver on enhanced action on all elements: mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation. Their work ought to be coherent and their recommendations bear consistency and safeguard the integrity of the Paris Agreement.
7. Overall, Mr. Chair, AILAC stands ready to continue moving forward together with our partners in a constructive spirit and to ensure that this session provides progress as urgency demands.
Thank you.
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