UNFCCC Daily Update #4
Daily Summary Thursday 29th NOVEMBER 2012
Vanuatu is making headway in the 18th Conference of the Parties at the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference in Doha, Qatar.
Vanuatu made two interventions on behalf of AOSIS at the Forum and LCA informal consultations on Response Measures, specifically the need to consider the potential environmental, economic and social consequences, including spillover effects, of tools, policies, measures taken by developed countries to implement climate actions that may affect developing countries (e.g. affecting trade and travel etc). Vanuatu reiterated the basic AOSIS position on the role of the Forum in consolidating response measures discussions in a single space under the Convention.
In finance discussions, Vanuatu strongly supported the AOSIS position emphasizing a need for a political process covering the scaling up and mobilization of climate finance, as well as for intensified and more structured work in processes under the Convention, focusing on sources and options for mobilizing climate finance in the short-, medium- and long-term. Vanuatu made further interventions on the issue of the Adaptation Fund, specifically requesting that direct access modalities be strengthened so that Vanuatu can more easily benefit from this funding stream. Our delegation attended an event on the Green Climate Fund, which has been established but as yet has no funding commitments from any developing countries.
Vanuatu was involved in an ADP: Roundtable to find ways to bridge the emissions ambition gap. Vanuatu expressed its intention to see strong international and national actions that are additional and supplementary to pledges made under the UNFCCC, and supported AOSIS in calling for a comprehensive roadmap by 2013 to reduce emissions as quickly as possible.
In regards to adaptation, a contentious issue is the completion of the Bali mandate, as Vanuatu and other partners feel there are several outstanding issues including national-level institutions and regional centers, linking adaptation to other instruments under the Convention, and finance for implementation.
Vanuatu is pressing further in two areas of inclusiveness under the UNFCCC. Today Vanuatu was invited to a high-level dialogue between the AOSIS group and the Mary Robertson Foundation in regards to the issue of gender balance in the Convention. Vanuatu called for a much strengthened mandate to have increased women participation and leadership. Vanuatu was one of only two country delegations represented at the COP18 Youth Summit, where youth were encouraged by UNFCCC Executive Secretary to build more political ambition through social media and grass roots actions.
Today was SPREP’s major side event where they launched the 2012 Pacific Environment & Climate Change Outlook. Director Albert Williams gave a presentation at this event which highlighted concrete and successful on-ground adaptation measures being undertaken by the Government in collaboration with multiple partners in Vanuatu. D