Kyoto Protocol workshop inaugurated in Abu Dhabi

The workshop is being organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat and will be hosted by EAD. The UAE and Denmark will be co-chairing the workshop.

The workshop was inaugurated today by H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority of the Government of Abu Dhabi who delivered a speech on behalf of the UAE Government.

HE Al Mubarak said in his speech that the UAE recognized that environmental protection, along with economic and social advancement, is one of the designated three pillars of Sustainable Development. Accordingly, we worked together with the international community to produce a more balanced Convention and Protocol dealing with Climate Change guided by the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

"The adoption by Annex 1 Parties of the Protocol's policies and measures has a potential to have very significant adverse effects on all single commodity producing developing countries, a fact that has been recognized by the many provisions of Convention and the Protocol. Article 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol is one of these provisions which aims at minimizing the adverse social, environmental and economic impacts of implementing commitments of industrialized countries on developing country Parties. The adoption of this Article represents the international community's consensus at Kyoto as how the affected developing countries should be dealt with" he added.

Al Mubarak noted that "The Marrakech Accords agreed that a draft decision would be adopted at COP/MOP1 on how this Article should be implemented. Therefore, we have Decision 31/CMP.1 which mandates the UNCCC Secretariat to organize this workshop with the objective to have an input which will further facilitate those countries most at risk from the impact of response measures and adverse effects of climate change to be assisted to cope with those impacts measures".

He added "We therefore hope and expect the final outcome of this workshop to be compatible with its aim".

Dr. Youssef Nassef from UNFCCC Secretariat said in his speech that for the UNFCCC, this event is quite important for many reasons. It is our first time ever to hold a UNFCCC event in Abu Dhabi or for that matter in the whole region. "The subject that will be discussed here is significant one that has been set in motion with the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol in February 2005" he added.

"The identification of reporting methodologies on Articles 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol is particular importance to developing countries who may be impacted economically, environmentally or socially as a result of the adoption of policies and measures to mitigate climate change in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol" Dr. Nassef said.

He added that "The parities to our Convention continue to respond to the challenges that they face in addressing climate changes by strengthening their efforts to combat and adapt to the effects that may arise from that phenomenon".

"In implementing these efforts, the Kyoto Protocol has determined that nay negative side effects on developing countries should be minimized. The objective of this workshop is to contribute to furthering our workshop on reporting on how this is being done" he said.

It is worthwhile to note that Article 3.14 of the Kyoto Protocol requires industrial countries and countries with economies in transition, to implement their emission targets in such a way in order to minimize the negative social, environmental and economic impacts on developing countries, including the oil-producing countries. This Article also calls for the consideration of the actions necessary to minimize these effects and identifies the list of issues to be considered to include "the establishment of funding, insurance and transfer of technology."

Expected to attend the workshop are representatives from the UNFCCC Secretariat, OPEC Secretariat and members, in addition to representatives from the U.S, UK, France, Scandinavian countries, Japan, Germany and developing countries such as India and Brazil. Moreover, representatives from the relevant organizations in the UAE are expected to attend and participate.

Mr. Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of EAD, said that EAD was proud to be hosting such a workshop, as it presents a great opportunity for the different organizations in the UAE to benefit from the deliberations.

He added that the UAE plays a significant role in the deliberations of the Protocol and Convention and chaired the working group regarding Article 4 of the Framework Convention. The UAE was the Asian representative in the Kyoto Protocol Executive Board. Moreover, he added that with the follow up of the Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Environment and Water, it is very important that the Article be implemented.

Some industrial countries have tried to avoid implementing Article 3.14 by using excuses such as not having enough information or evidence that emissions have negative impacts or that reducing emissions harms the economy, while developing countries are still seeking to have this Article implemented.

It is worthwhile to note that the only two developed countries that haven't ratified the Kyoto Protocol are the United States and Australia.