Ministers from the LMDC outline their expectations for COP 27

COP26 President Alok Sharma at the conclusion of talks in Glasgow - He recently told MPs that political leaders were distracted from climate issues by war and cost of living crises.

Penang, 22 Oct, 22 (TWN) – Ministers from the Like-minded Developing Countries (LMDC) gathered at a virtual meeting hosted by the Plurinational State of Bolivia, on 21st  Oct, 2022.

The meeting was inaugurated by the Bolivian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Freddy Mamani on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rogelio Mayta  and was attended by ministers, vice-ministers, heads of delegations and negotiators from countries in the grouping that included Algeria, Bolivia, China, Ecuador, India, Iran, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,, Venezuela and Vietnam.

The meeting was convened to gather perspectives on the way forward for the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27) of the UN Frameowork Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A joint-statement was issued at the conclusion of the meeting, which was made available to Third World Network (TWN). The ministerial statement is reproduced in full below.

Climate Change Conference of Implementation

“ We welcome the hosting of the Climate Change Conference by the Government of Egypt, which is a member of the LMDC family, and we will support all efforts to enable its success.

We are very glad to note that the incoming Egyptian Presidency is focusing the Leaders’ Summit on the theme of ‘Implementation’, which is vital for the key climate related decisions to be translated into concrete actions and credible plans in tackling the challenges of climate change and its adverse impacts.

We wish to reiterate that the UNFCCC, together with its related legal instruments, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, constitute the international climate regime and the primary international, intergovernmental forum for negotiating the global response to climate change.

Decisions taken by Parties at the various COPs to advance the implementation of these legal instruments cannot and must not in any way deviate from the principles, provisions and commitments made by Parties under these treaties.

This also applies to the Glasgow Climate Pact (GCP) as a decision adopted by the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, and other decisions to follow, and these must be read and implemented within the context of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.

Fundamentally, the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC) between developed and developing countries is the foundation of the international climate regime.

Consistent with the theme of ‘Implementation’, for developing countries, the provision of the means of implementation, including finance, technology transfer and capacity building from developed to developing countries, are fundamental for our climate actions, as we also strive to eradicate poverty and enable sustainable development in our countries. This is the basis for enhanced equity-based international cooperation on climate change envisioned under the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.

We also take this opportunity to welcome Mr. Simon Stiell in his role as the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC. We look forward to the continued leadership of the Secretariat in the global climate multilateral process, to further enhance the full, effective, balanced and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.

Facing challenging times

Our challenges are even more pressing in current times with multiple crises we are facing, including the on-going economic challenges, increased indebtedness in many developing countries, rising cost of living and inflation, including food and commodity prices.

On top of this, many of our countries are witnessing unprecedented devastating impacts of climate change, such as that faced by our member country Pakistan, where we have witnessed floods of gigantic proportions, with 30 million people being made homeless. We also express our solidarity with the people affected in the recent floods in the city of Tejerias in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela as well as with the people of Pinar del Río in the Republic of Cuba, that recently suffered the severe impacts of the hurricane Ian.

Many of our countries are facing increase in the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and tropical storms, severe floods, high temperatures, heat waves, droughts, wildfires and other grave impacts. Biodiversity loss is accelerating amid more pressure from developed countries for control over our natural resources on the plea of mitigating climate change.

Much of the impacts we are facing today are the effects mainly due to the historical and cumulative emissions of developed countries, who have till today, not rapidly reduced their emissions despite all their promises to do so, and not provided any significant support to developing countries, failing in reaching their commitments under the Convention.

The backdrop of the climate change negotiation is one of deepening climate injustice, since developed countries are attempting systematically to shift the burden to address climate change on to the developing countries.

Developed countries backtracking on pledges made       

On emissions reductions

Despite the emissions reduction declarations and high ambition announced by developed countries at COP 26 last year, we note that some developed countries have backtracked in their actions in the name of addressing the recent challenges they face.

Regrettably, the developed economies who have the most capabilities financially and technologically to lead in reducing their emissions continue to fall short in doing so. The developed countries have taken inadequate and unambitious goals to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, while they continue to emit, and disproportionately consume the global carbon budget. They should attain net zero well before 2050. Disregarding the principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and the nationally determined nature of climate change commitments, mid-century net zero and carbon neutrality goals have been advocated even for developing countries, while insufficient steps have been taken to provide the promised finance and other means of implementation and support by the developed countries.

The Working Group II contribution to Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had noted the role of colonialism in the present development challenges leading to high vulnerability across the world. The disregard for equity indicates that even in the 21st century, the colonial mindset poses a serious challenge to developing countries.

Developed countries bear the greatest responsibility for climate change. The Working Group III contribution to AR6 of the IPCC shows that developed countries accounted for the larger share of emissions between 1850 and 2019, despite accounting for only 16 per cent of the global population.

Developed countries’ 2020 mitigation targets are not ambitious enough and not sufficiently implemented. The IPCC AR4 points out that to limit the global temperature rise to well below 2°C, Annex I Parties need to reduce emissions by 25-40% in 2020 compared to 1990. However, the overall emissions reduction of non-EIT (economies in transition) Annex I Parties’ was only 3.1% by 2018 compared to 1990 levels. Emissions reductions were even lower at 1.4% without emissions from the land use and land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector. Between 1990 and 2019, Annex I Parties with only 17% of the global population, have been responsible for 44% of the cumulative non-LULUCF CO2 emissions.

According to institutional assessments, the mitigation measures taken by many developed countries are insufficient to ensure the implementation of their 2030 emission reduction targets. This is a serious concern as the Working Group I and Working Group III contributions to AR6 of the IPCC have emphasized that as a consequence of historical cumulative emissions only a meagre amount of the total global carbon budget remains. This amounts to only one-fifth for 1.5 degree C warming (with 50 per cent probability) and only one-third for 2 degree C warming (with 50 per cent probability).

Developing countries on the other hand have made ambitious mitigation commitments and are taking proactive actions appropriate to their national circumstances and despite the lack of support provided by developed countries. However, developed countries have also continuously failed to deliver on their finance, technology, and capacity-building support commitments to developing countries under the UNFCCC, and have undermined global mitigation efforts as a result.

Failure to expedite delivery in climate finance

Developed countries committed in 2009 in Copenhagen to mobilise USD 100 billion per year by 2020. Parties have since negotiated and joined the Paris Agreement, but the USD 100 billion target has still not been met.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) which is a very important climate finance instituition for developing countries, currently does not have enough resources from developed countries to fund proposals from developing countries. This is deeply regrettable and does not augur well for the Sharm El-Sheikh climate talks.

In discussions on the new collective quantified goal on finance (NCQG), where a new climate finance goal is to be agreed upon by 2025, developed countries are delaying talking about the quantum of the finance to be provided by developed countries and needed by developing countries despite the existence of reports about the needs of developing countries for their climate actions.

Instead, what we are witnessing are efforts by developed countries to dilute their responsibilities under the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement, as they seek to shift their existing obligations to the private sector and developing countries.

The increased focus on the private sector, particularly within the context of developed countries’ interpretations of Article 2.1(c) (of the Paris Agreement), overlooks the disparity in private finance flowing to developing countries compared to developed countries. USD 141 billion dollars flowed to North America and Western Europe between 2019/2020 compared to USD 37 billion in South Asia, the Middle East, South America and Africa combined over the same period. Additionally, out of the total private climate finance spent between 2019 and 2020, 99.7% went to mitigation activities, with the remainder going to adaptation and multiple objectives. Combined with the absence of the CBDR-RC and equity principles within the private sector, developed countries’ shift in focus towards the private sector undermines their obligations under the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement, risking inequitable and insufficient outcomes for developing countries as it pertains to receiving the finance needed for climate action.

Our expectations for COP 27

Among the key outcomes we wish to see in Sharm El-Sheikh are the following:

On finance

We can no longer delay much-needed climate finance from developed countries, and urge developed countries to provide enhanced financial support to developing countries, for their climate action, including for just and equitable transitions.

In August last year, USD 650 billion of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were allocated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the largest in its history in following the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the global economy. This mainly went to the developed countries, as allocations are based on a country’s quota within the IMF. There is a need to rechannel these SDRs for financing climate action in the developing countries.

In Sharm El-Sheikh, we must see strong outcomes and progress on the delivery of climate finance, across the several agenda items. Due attention must be given to access issues, and the quality of sources, instruments and channels of climate finance for developing countries. In this context, arriving at a definition of climate finance is very important to identify the elements of finance in relation to achieving climate objectives and hold developed countries accountable to their climate finance commitments.

On adaptation

At COP 26, regrettably, outcomes in relation to mitigation were much stronger than that on adaptation which has fallen far behind for long compared with mitigation.

At COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, we would like to see this imbalance be redressed. In relation to adaptation, we would like to see increased financing for adaptation as well as positive progress in relation to the discussions, definition and approaches to achieve the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) with a stronger linkage to the provision by developed countries to developing countries of the means of implementation needed for adaptation under the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Agreement. Based on the discussion of the four workshops and relevant submissions in 2022, the CMA 4 (4th meeting of the Paties to the Paris Agreement) should have a clear decision to capture the progress made so far in the GGA work programme, including identifying parameters of the GGA, with the aim of achieving the Global Goal on Adaptation, so as to meet the goals of Paris Agreement.

On loss and damage

On loss and damage, we would like to see the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage (SNLD) be made operational through agreement on its institutional arrangements that are consistent with developing countries’ needs and priorities, with funding arrangements provided by developed countries for developing countries.

We should ensure that technical assistance and other support provided or to be provided to developing countries by developed countries to address the loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, including extreme weather events and slow onset events, is consistent with Parties’ needs, including those outlined in their national climate policies, nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and long-term sustainable development priorities.

There is a need to take a decision to enhance the provision of finance provided by developed countries to developing countries to avert, minimize, and address the loss and damage, as well as agreement on the dual governance of the Warsaw International Mechanism under the Convention and its Paris Agreement.

On mechanisms for implementation of the Paris Agreement

We would like to see equal progress in the implementation of the Glasgow Committee on non-market approaches as well as the other mechanisms that advance cooperative approaches. It is crucial to establish a web platform that identifies and aggregates non-market approaches and maps support for non-market approaches (including finance and transfer of technology), and which goes beyond being just a knowledge sharing platform. This is necessary to allow for connecting needs and provision of support to non-market approaches, in particular those integrated in developing countries’ NDCs.

Need for multilateral cooperation – not competition

Recognizing the current challenges faced by developing countries, requires honouring multilateral agreements. Stronger international cooperation is needed; not intensified global economic and geopolitical competition and trade wars.

Further, unilateral coercive measures against developing countries and proposals by developed countries to introduce carbon border measures in the name of climate change responses are discriminatory towards developing countries and violate international trade rules, as well as the principles of equity and CBDR-RC and the UNFCCC provisions, particularly Article 3, paragraph 5, of the UNFCCC. Such measures must be strongly opposed, as they are detrimental to multilateral cooperation.

Discussions and negotiations in other multilateral forums must facilitate climate action on the basis of equity and CBDR-RC.They should not be used to move decisions that undermine the ongoing negotiations under the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, on climate-related issues.

Unity of the LMDC and all others

The unity and strength of the LMDC is fundamental in the UNFCCC negotiations to preserve the interest of the Global South in the fight against climate change.

Our overarching objective is to ensure our economic and social development as we address the challenges of climate change, fulfil our obligation under the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement while continuing to pursue sustainable development, economic diversification and poverty eradication in our countries.

The LMDC Ministers expressed deep gratitude to the Plurinational State of Bolivia for hosting the LMDC Ministerial meeting and looked forward to their next ministerial meeting at COP27.” - Third World Netwrok