May 20, 2009 NDRC
China's Position on the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference
Climate change is one of the most serious challenges to humanity
in the 21st century and a matter of human survival and the
development of all countries, which requires cooperation and
joint efforts by the international community. Fully aware of the
seriousness and urgency of climate change and with a deep sense
of responsibility for the long-term development of mankind, China is firmly committed to
sustainable development and has formulated and implemented its
National Climate Change Programme, taking a series of strong
policies, measures and actions and making unremitting efforts and
commendable contribution to addressing climate change. China will
continue such policies, measures and actions. In the face of
international financial crisis, China remains determined to take
unrelenting efforts to address climate change.
As a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC 気候変動枠組条約) and its Kyoto Protocol, China is
always committed to have the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol
implemented and very serious about honoring commitments on its
part. International negotiations are underway to give effect to
the Bali Roadmap to enable the full, effective and sustained
implementation of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol, aiming at
reaching a positive outcome at the UN climate change conference
in Copenhagen at the end of this year. China will continue to
play an active and constructive role in such negotiations and
hereby presents its position on the Copenhagen Climate Conference
implementing the Bali Roadmap.
I. Principles
1. The UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol as the Basis and the Mandate
of the Bali Roadmap as the Focus. The UNFCCC and its Kyoto
Protocol constitute the basic framework and legal basis for
international cooperation to address climate change, which embody
the consensus of the international community and serve as the
foundation governing the implementation of the Bali Roadmap. The
Bali Roadmap affirms the mandate to enhance the implementation of
the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol, which is, on the one track, to
secure the full, effective and sustained implementation of the
UNFCCC by making corresponding arrangements in terms of
mitigation, adaption, technology transfer and financial support
and, on the other track, to determine further quantified emission
reduction targets for developed countries for the second
commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol.
2. The Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities.
Developed countries shall take responsibility for their
historical cumulative emissions and current high per capita
emissions to change their unsustainable way of life and to
substantially reduce their emissions and, at the same time, to
provide financial support and transfer technology to developing
countries. Developing countries will, in pursuing economic
development and poverty eradication, take proactive measures to
adapt to and mitigate climate change.
3. The Principle of Sustainable Development. Sustainable
development is both the means and the end of effectively
addressing climate change. Within the overall framework of
sustainable development, economic development, poverty
eradication and climate protection should be considered in a
holistic and integrated manner so as to reach a win-win solution
and to ensure developing countries to secure their right to
development.
4. Mitigation, Adaption, Technology Transfer and Financial
Support on the Same Footing and as Equal Priorities. Mitigation
and adaption are integral components of combating climate change
and should be given equal treatment. Compared with mitigation
that is an arduous task over a longer time horizon, the need for
adaption is more real and urgent to developing countries.
Financing and technology are indispensible means to achieve
mitigation and adaptation. The fulfillment of commitments by
developed countries to provide financing, technology transfer and
capacity building support to developing countries is a condition
sine qua non for developing countries to effectively mitigate and
adapt to climate change.
II. Objective
The objective of the Copenhagen Climate Conference is to further
enhance the full, effective and sustained implementation of the
UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol and to reach positive outcome,
focusing on making concrete arrangements for mitigation,
adaptation, technology transfer and financial support:
1. To set deeper quantified emission reduction targets for
developed countries for the second commitment period under the
Kyoto Protocol, and to ensure comparability of quantified
emission reduction commitments by developed countries that are
Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and that are not;
2. To establish effective institutional arrangements to ensure
that developed countries are fulfilling their commitments to
provide technology, financing and capacity building support to
developing countries;
3. To enable developing countries to take nationally appropriate
mitigation and adaptation actions, in the context of sustainable
development, supported by technology, financing and capacity
building from developed countries.
III. FURTHER ENHANCING THE full, effective and sustained
implementation of the UNFCCC
1. Shared Vision for Long-term Cooperative Action
A shared vision for long-term cooperative action is to enable the
full, effective and sustained implementation of the UNFCCC to
achieve its ultimate objective. Such a vision should be guided by
the ultimate objective of the UNFCCC and the principle of common
but differentiated responsibilities and the principle of equity.
Since the UNFCCC has clearly defined the ultimate objective to
address climate change, the overriding task for the international
community is to implement concrete actions. The goal for
long-term cooperative action should be a comprehensive one,
consisting of sustainable development, mitigation, adaptation,
financing and technology. In terms of mitigation, developed
countries as a whole shall, as their mid-term targets, reduce
their GHG emissions by at least 40% below their 1990 level by
2020.
2. Mitigation
(a) Mitigation Commitments by Developed Countries
i) Developed countries shall undertake measurable, reportable and
verifiable legally-binding deeper quantified emission reduction
commitments;
ii) Given their historical responsibility and development level
and based on the principle of equality, developed countries shall
reduce their GHG emissions in aggregate by at least 40% below
their 1990 levels by 2020 and take corresponding policies,
measures and actions;
iii) The quantified emission reduction targets and corresponding
policies, measures and actions undertaken by developed countries
shall be measurable, reportable and verifiable;
iv) The !Rmeasurable, reportable and verifiable!￣
requirement shall
apply to the progress and results of implementation actions as
well as the quantified emission reduction commitments per se,
which shall apply, mutatis mutandis, the provisions and
procedures of the Kyoto Protocol regarding compliance, monitoring
and verification mechanisms;
v) The comparability of efforts among developed countries shall
be judged by the following:
- Comprehensiveness: targets, policies, measures, actions and
etc.;
- Same nature of commitments: quantified and legally-binding;
- Proximity of magnitude and intensity;
- Same compliance, monitoring and verification mechanism.
(b) Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions by Developing
Countries
i) Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) by
developing countries shall be taken in the context of sustainable
development and in line with the legitimate priority needs of
developing countries for development and the eradication of
poverty;
ii) NAMAs by developing countries are distinct in nature from
quantified emission reduction commitments by developed countries.
- NAMAs by developing countries are initiated by themselves,
distinct from international legally-binding commitments of
developed countries;
- NAMAs by developing countries are concrete mitigation policies,
actions and projects, distinct from the quantified emission
reduction commitments and targets by developed countries;
- NAMAs by developing countries are in line with their national
circumstances and sustainable development strategies with the
priorities identified by themselves;
- NAMAs by developing countries shall be supported and enabled by
technology, finance and capacity building provided by developed
countries in a measurable, reportable and verifiable way.
iii) The provision of technology, financing and capacity building
support to developing countries is the obligation of developed
country Parties under the UNFCCC, and the government of the
developed country shall play the central role and shall not evade
its obligation.
iv) Appropriate mechanism may be established to match NAMAs with
technology, financing and capacity building support:
- Developing countries proposing concrete mitigation actions,
including projects, and corresponding needs for technology,
financing and capacity building support;
- Developed countries providing measurable, reportable and
verifiable technology, financing and capacity building support
through technology transfer and financial mechanisms of the
UNFCCC.
v) The emission reduction achieved by NAMAs shall not be used to
offset the quantified emission reduction targets of developed
countries;
vi) Only those actions enabled by measurable, reportable and
verifiable support are subject to the !Rmeasureable, reportable
and verifiable!￣ requirement.
(c) Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
in Developing Countries (REDD)
i) In developing methodology and positive incentives, equal
treatment shall be given to reducing emission from deforestation
and forest degradation, and enhancing forest carbon stocks
through conservation, sustainable management of forests and
incremental change of forest cover in developing countries;
ii) Actions to reduce emission from deforestation and forest
degradation, and enhancing forest carbon stocks through
conservation, sustainable management of forests and incremental
change of forest cover in developing countries are important
measures to promote sustainable development and poverty
eradication to combat climate change in developing countries, and
shall neither be used to offset developed countries!￣
emission reduction
targets, nor to introduce mitigation commitments for developing
countries;
iii) Developed countries shall, in accordance with the provisions
of the UNFCCC, provide adequate financing, technology and
capacity building supports to enable developing countries to take
voluntary actions to reduce emission from deforestation and
forest degradation, and enhancing forest carbon stocks through
conservation, sustainable management of forests and incremental
change of forest cover.
3. Adaptation
(a) Institutional Framework on Adaptation. Comprehensive
institutional framework should be established to provide support
for developing countries, in particular the least developed
countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS) among
them, to adapt to climate change.
(b) Establishment of a Subsidiary Body. Under the overall
guidance of the COP, it is mandated to plan, organize,
coordinate, monitor and evaluate international adaptation actions
and to support developing countries to take adaption actions.
Regional adaptation centers shall also be established.
(c) Establishment of a Convention Adaptation Fund. The Fund shall
support developing countries to adapt to climate change, which
includes, inter alia:
i) To enhance capacity building, including data collection and
vulnerability assessment;
ii) To cover full cost for preparation of national adaptation
action plans;
iii) To implement adaptation actions, projects and programmes;
iv) To implement risk management and risk reduction strategies;
v) To build climate resilience through economic diversification;
vi) To promote research, development and diffusion of adaptation
technologies.
vii) To promote education, training and public awareness-raising;
(d) Establishment of a Corresponding Mechanism on Monitoring and
Evaluation. It shall monitor the provision of adequate financing,
technology and capacity building support by developed countries
and evaluate the adequacy of such support.
4. Technology Development and Technology Transfer
(a) Institutional Arrangements. Technology development and
technology transfer is critical to combat climate change. The
priority is to establish appropriate institutional arrangements
to ensure obligations of developed countries under the UNFCCC be
implemented.
(b) Establishment of a Subsidiary Body on Technology Development
and Technology Transfer. Under the overall guidance of the COP,
it is mandated to plan, organize, coordinate, monitor and
evaluate international technology development and technology
transfer activities, which include, inter alia:
i) Develop and implement programmes for joint R&D on key
climate-friendly technologies;
ii) Assess technology needs;
iii) Elaborate lists of technologies available for transfer;
iv) Identify barriers to technology transfer and solutions
thereof;
v) Identify incentives to facilitate technology transfer;
vi) Administer technology information and manage activities of
technology development and transfer;
vii) Handle IPR-related issues;
viii) Promote capacity building;
ix) Monitor progress and assess performance.
(c) Establishment of a Multilateral Technology Acquisition Fund.
The Fund shall be mainly financed by public funding of developed
countries and be used to support technology development and
technology transfer to developing countries.
(d) Performance Assessment and Monitoring. Progress in technology
transfer, including range, scale and effectiveness should be
regularly monitored and assessed.
5. Financial Support
(a) Institutional Arrangements. To effectively operationalize the
financial mechanism under the UNFCCC, an Adaptation Fund, a
Mitigation Fund, a Multilateral Technology Acquisition Fund and a
Capacity Building Fund shall be established. The governance of
these Funds should be under the authority and guidance of the COP
with equitable and balanced representation of all Parties in a
transparent and efficient manner. The Funds should be managed
with easy accessibility and low administrative cost.
(b) Sources of Funding. It is the commitment on the part of the
governments of the developed country Parties to provide new,
additional, adequate and predictable financial resources.
Financial resources from private sectors and the carbon market
could be complementary to those provided by the developed country
Parties.
(c) The Scale of Funding. The developed country Parties shall
make assessed contributions with a certain percentage of their
annual GDP, e.g. 0.5-1%, to the above-mentioned Funds.
IV. Further quantified emission reduction commitments for
developed countries for the second commitment period under the
Kyoto Protocol
1. Strictly Focusing on the Mandate. The UN Climate Change
Conference in Copenhagen at the end of 2009 should, in accordance
with decision taken under the Kyoto Protocol (Decision 1/CMP.1),
set further quantified emission reduction commitments for
developed countries for the second commitment period under the
Kyoto Protocol through an amendment to its Annex B.
2. The Kyoto Protocol as a Long Living Treaty. The Kyoto
Protocol, in giving effect to the principle of common but
differentiated responsibilities, established the modality for
developed countries Parties to take the lead in reducing their
GHG emissions, which is an important legal instrument to
implement the UNFCCC. It sets the quantified emission reduction
targets for developed countries for the first commitment period
from 2008 to 2012, and establishes an in-built mechanism for
setting further quantified emissions reduction commitments for
developed countries for subsequent periods. The Kyoto Protocol
remains valid sine die, which is not terminated by the expiry of
its first commitment period. The mandate of the AWGKP is simple
and clear, which is to set further quantified emission reduction
commitments for developed countries by the adoption of an
amendment to Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol and, by no means, to
rewrite the Kyoto Protocol.
3. The AWGKP as one Parallel Track. The AWGKP is one of the two
equally important negotiation tracks under the Bali Roadmap. It
should complete its work as soon as possible in order to ensure
there is no gap between the first and second commitment periods
under the Kyoto Protocol. Only the further quantified emission
reduction commitments for developed countries that are Parties to
the Kyoto Protocol are first determined by the AWGKP, could the
comparability under the AWGLCA be established later on. The
success of the Copenhagen Climate Conference will depend on the
AWGKP!￣s timely completion of its work to
establish further quantified emission reduction commitments for
developed countries for the second commitment period.
4. Further Quantified Emission Reduction Commitments for
Developed Country Parties for the Second Commitment Period.
Developed countries shall undertake to reduce their GHG emissions
in aggregate by at least 40% below their 1990 level by 2020.