Republic
of Zambia
MINISTRY
OF LANDS, NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
ZAMBIA’S COUNTRY POSITION PAPER AT THE NINETEENTH SESSION
OF THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES (COP-19) TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK
CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC) AND THE NINETH SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE
OF PARTIES ALSO SERVING AS THE MEETING OF THE PARTIES (CMP9) TO THE KYOTO
PROTOCOL
WARSAW, POLAND,
11th TO 22nd NOVEMBER 2013
November 2013
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Zambia as a Party to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol
will participate at the Nineteenth Session of the Conference of Parties (COP-19)
to the UNFCCC, which will also serve as the Ninth Session of the Conference of
Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (MOP-9) to the Kyoto Protocol, in
Warsaw, Poland from 11th to 22nd November, 2013. In this
regard, Zambia has taken positions on a number of priority issues to be
discussed at this important Conference. This position paper will act as an official
guide to Zambian delegates as they engage in negotiations during the
Conference.
Climate change represents an
urgent and irreversible threat to human societies and the planet. The window of
opportunity to avoid dangerous climate change is closing and there is a growing
risk of adverse climate change and catastrophic impact, particularly for
Africa.
Zambia is already experiencing
the adverse effects of climate change, including increased temperatures,
increased incidences of flood and drought events, shift in the onset and
duration of rain leading to loss of agriculture production for the majority of
the population. In this regard, the need for increased engagement in multilateral
negotiations cannot be over emphasised as it would enable the country to
undertake adaptation and mitigation actions arising from the negotiation
process of the UNFCCC.
2.0 POSITION ON MAJOR
ISSUES
2.1 General Negotiation Process
Zambia supports the view that climate change negotiations under the
UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol should focus more on the development of a new
protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under
the Convention applicable to all Parties. The agreement should reflect all the
principles and the provisions of the Convention, including the principle of equity
and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. The
agreement should be based on science, ensure equitable access to sustainable
development and sharing of atmospheric space and resources, taking into account
cumulative historical responsibility. Further the agreement should pay
particular attention to mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation (financial
resources, capacity development and technological development and transfer).Regarding
the mitigation ambition, Zambia support the views that Annex I Country Parties
should raise their levels of ambition in order to close the emissions gap to
keep the increase in global average temperatures below 2°C. Zambia should be
enabled to contribute to mitigation measures through provision of financial
support, appropriate technology and comprehensive capacity development.
Zambia looks forward to making progress in the ratification of the
amendments to annex B of the Kyoto Protocol. This will ensure continuity of the
only legally binding framework under climate change.
2.2 KEY THEMATIC AREAS
The following are Zambia’s positions on selected
specific agenda elements of the negotiation process. This also provides
guidance on general direction to take on elements not directly addressed in
this position paper.
2.2.1 Adaptation
Zambia is already experiencing
the adverse effects of climate change. As a whole, Sub-Saharan Africa is
already experiencing adverse effects of climate change and these are projected
to increase in frequency and intensity in future.
The recent variability and
unpredictable nature of climate has undermined critical sectors of the economy
such as agriculture which has resulted in reduced agricultural productivity and
perennial food shortages. Therefore, adaptation to the changing climatic
conditions and their effects is not an option for Zambia but an imperative; hence,
it is the first priority for the country.
Zambia welcomes the progress
made by the Adaptation Committee in operationalisation of the Cancun Adaptation
Framework. However, we urge the developed country Parties to urgently scale up
support for the implementation of adaptation measures and national adaptation
plans.
Zambia is also recognisance of
the fact that there are limits to the extent that communities and ecosystems
can adapt to the changing climate. Loss and damage of property, territory,
biodiversity, ecosystem, lives and livelihood will occur if those limits are
exceeded. Zambia therefore, calls for an agreement on the establishment of an
International Mechanism on Loss and Damage at COP 19 and get it operationalised
by COP21.
Zambia finalised its NAPA in 2007, with
nine proposed projects/strategies. To
date Zambia, like many other countries has exhausted its allocation LDCF and
calls for recapitalisation of the Fund. Funding for adaptation should be grant
money and concessions as is stipulated in Article 11 paragraph 1 of the
Convention and not through loans.
- We also call
for enhanced capacity building for developing countries to be able to
develop fundable adaptation programmes
- There is need to the review of the implementation of the Nairobi Work Programme on Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation.
2.2.2 Financial Mechanisms
Article 11,
paragraph 2 of the Convention provides for a financial mechanism that has an
equitable and balanced representation of all Parties with a transparent system
of governance. Currently, Parties have observed that the financial mechanism
entrusted with the Global Environment Facility has not been effective due to
lack of transparency, and complicated and bureaucratic procedures to access the
funds. Financing climate change will require huge resources to enable
developing countries like Zambia to adapt to the adverse effects of climate
change and also pursue a low carbon development path. In this regard, we call
for adequate, predictable and additional financial resources to be made
available by developed countries to developing countries. These resources must
be additional, adequate and separate from the Official Development Assistance
(ODA) to ensure our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
and reduce poverty among our people are not frustrated.
2.2.2.1 Governance of the Green Climate Fund (GCF)
The Green Climate Fund that was established
at CoP16 in Cancun, and adopted at CoP17 in Durban. Zambia calls for
capitalisation of the GCF to allow financing of climate change at country
level. The major source of the resources into the Fund shall be public money,
and that at least 50 per cent of the resources in the Fund should be allocated
towards adaptation considering that adaptation is a priority for Least
Developed Countries, Small Islands Developing States and the African group. It is also Zambia‘s view that the GCF should become
fully operational and start disbursements of funds at COP19 in Poland.
Zambia also urges
GCF Board, in its capacity as an operating entity of UNFCCC to allocate increased
funding for climate change adaptation in Africa once the fund becomes
operational.
2.2.3 Technology Development and
Transfer
In most of developing countries,
especially in Africa, access to technology remains a challenge. Zambia has completed the Technology Needs
Assessment process and identified priority technology for implementation. We
therefore, request for funding to implement the identified technologies. We
further call for full operationalisation and strengthening of the institutions
that have been established under the technology mechanism.
We further wish to reiterate
that there is urgent need to address the issue of technology transfer,
including the identification and removal of all barriers preventing access to
climate-related technologies and the appropriate treatment of intellectual
property rights, and the removal of patents on climate related technologies for
non-Annex I Parties. We further note
with concern that Annex 1 countries continue to push responsibility for
technology transfer to the private sector, hence disadvantaging LDCs such as Zambia
to source technology on the market with conditionality.
2.2.4 Mitigation
Zambia urges the developed
country Parties to increase the ambition of their economy-wide emission
reduction targets, with a view to reducing their aggregate anthropogenic
emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases not controlled by the
Montreal Protocol.
Furthermore, we
welcome progress made on the work programme for mitigation for Country Parties
and call for development a framework to facilitate the common accounting rules,
procedures and compliance in mitigation efforts.
As a developing country, Zambia shall
commit its efforts to the development and implementation of Nationally
Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) meant to contribute to the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions, provided means of implementation including finance,
technology and capacity building are made available. We further wish to reiterate that NAMAS should be
developed in the context of national agenda and should not be used as a basis
of shifting mitigation actions of developed countries to developing countries.
2.2.5 Capacity Building
The other priority issue for Zambia, like the rest
of Africa, is capacity building. It is our view that capacity building should
also be looked at in the broader sense of development focussing on investment
and learning by doing. We stress that capacity building should be treated as a
cross-cutting issue and be clearly reflected in other thematic areas.
Zambia appreciates the financial
and technical support received already from developed Countries through
bilateral and multilateral avenues on capacity building. However, we note that the support has been
inadequate and sometimes inappropriate. In this regard, we call upon Annex 1
Parties to consider implementing the recommendations of the reviews on capacity
buildings programmes specifically on preparation and implementation of the National
Communications, Green House Gases inventories, development of mitigation and
adaptation programmes and their assessments; development of CDM projects as
well as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD
plus). The support for capacity building should be measurable, reportable and
verifiable.
Further, monitoring the
implementation of the capacity-building framework should be enhanced and
streamlined. It would also be desirable if Annex 1 countries could report the
implementation of capacity building and development activities in their
national communications. Conversely, non-Annex1 countries should also report
funding received under capacity building or the lack of it.
2.2.6 Reducing Emissions from
Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD plus)
The forestry sector
provides reservoirs for the Greenhouse Gases and close to 30% of GHGs come from
the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector. Zambia and most of
the developing countries derive their livelihoods from natural resources based
sectors including timber and non timber forest products. As such, communities
around forest reserves should be involved in programmes related to sustainable
forest management. These programmes should provide adequate safe guards and incentives
to the local communities for them to participate in REDD plus activities. Zambia
supports the proposal to have a separate window for REDD-Plus activities under
the Green Climate Fund.
2.2.7 The Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM)
As it has been observed by most
developing countries, conditions under the CDM are still not favourable to guarantee
effective development and implementation of CDM programmes. In this context, Zambia acknowledges progress
made by the CDM Board in refining the procedures and modalities for CDM
projects. However, the country proposes the following:
- A continued reform of the operations of the CDM for it to achieve the desired outcomes as defined in Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol in order to contribute to ultimate objective of the Convention. These reforms should address issues of transparency, accountability and methodologies to be simplified for selecting and approving projects.
- Transaction costs should be reduced or completely waivered for eligible countries to increase the number of beneficiary project developers. Currently due to high transaction costs, project developers are unable to meet the requirements for developing a CDM project.
- More Designated Operating Entities
(DOE) of the CDM should be available in the African region to speed up
processing of projects. Capacity building of in-country assessors should
be carried out so that expertise in these centres is generated from within
the region
Zambia supports the view that
only Annex I Parties that have taken up commitments under the KP2 should
allowed to participate in the flexible mechanisms.
2.3 RATIFICATION OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE
ANNEX B OF THE KYOTO PROTOCOL
The 18th Session of
the Conference of Parties (COP18) to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Eighth Session of the Conference of Parties serving
as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol renewed our commitment to
promote the global environmental integrity. This was demonstrated through
adoption of the Doha amendments to annex B of the Kyoto Protocol that
facilitated the implementation of the second commitment period from 2013 – 2020.In this regard, my Zambia wishes to encourage the Country Parties to KP2 to facilitate the ratification of the amendments to annex B of the Kyoto Protocol to ensure continuity of the only legally binding framework under climate change.
2.3.1
General Considerations and Positions
·
Zambia welcomes the process development of a
new protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force
under the Convention applicable to all Parties
· The Convention is a multilateral platform for climate change action and that as such addition action under the ambition work stream of the Durban platform require agreed transparency, accounting and recognition provisions and to enhance action by developing countries through a clear process to scale up the means of implementation including finance, technology and capacity building
·
Zambia urges that there be a close link between the ADP process, KP and
means of implementation for attainment of the goals of the Convention.
·
Equal premium should be given to both work streams under the ADP as we
believe that a strong outcome on Work Stream II is as important as Work Stream
I.
·
Zambia
strongly opposes the linking of technical and
political discussions to delay negotiations and create a gap.
·
Warsaw needs to provide
political reassurance and deliver significantly on means on means of
implementation, as confidence building measure.
·
The new agreement should consider a widest interpretation of climate
finance and ensure that targets are set to increase investment and financial
policies to promote pro climate technologies.
This is the broad official position that Zambian delegates to COP19/CMP 9 will be expected to articulate in their interventions in different fora wherever they have a chance to speak. It also reflects and re-inforces the Country Statement to be delivered by the Hon. Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection during the high level segment. In general the Zambian position resonates with the broader positions of the Least Developed Country (LDC) parties, that of the African Group and to a large extent the position of the Group of 77 and China.
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