We believe climate change is a critical global issue which requires leadership and immediate action from every sector of society.
Popular Articles
View interview - Dr. Hamadoun Touré, Secretary General, International Telecommunications Union (ITU - 24 Jun 2008
ICT’s smart answer to climate change - 02 Jul 2008
ITU Symposium on ICTs and climate change - 02 Jul 2008
Telecom solutions to energy and climate change - 08 Jul 2008
Leading market providers back new registry system for the Voluntary Carbon Standard - 02 Jul 2008
Any delay in addressing the issue of adaptation could be called “an attack on the poor”, said Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Yvo de Boer.
“Our hope is that the meeting here will agree that more developing countries should be provided with the resources to really be able to assess properly how they are likely to be affected by the impacts of climate change,” he added.
Mr de Boer referred to the wide ranging impacts throughout the world, which include rising sea-levels, river flooding and increased exposure to water stress. He stated that help must be given to all developing countries to identify what adaptation action they need to take, and that this must be integrated into long term development planning to make it sustainable.
He also underlined the need not only to look at creating a long term climate change regime, but also to pay attention to the problems facing many countries today. One of the key issues for developing countries is technology, and Mr. de Boer confirmed that discussions are now underway to consider ways to implement the transfer of techology to developing countries.
In response to strong criticism of the lack of resources for adaption, Mr. de Boer pointed to the significant potential of the Kyoto Protocol's Adaptation Fund, which is a self-financing mechanism. Funds generated by the levy on the CDM already amount to US$ 36 million, rising to US$ 80-300 million per year in the period 2008-2012 if projects still in the pipeline are taken into account. Should there be a high demand for carbon credits under a post-2012 deal, this figure could further increase to 1-5 billion dollars a year. This is significant, he added, in that it avoids diverting vital development funding towards adapation.
Governments have called for the Adaptation Fund to become operational under the Kyoto Protocol here in Bali, and for the need to secure access to the Fund on the part of developing countries.
Also on the agenda were discussions on carbon capture and storage in geological formations – the burying of greenhouse gases. And while strong interest was expressed in the technology and including it under the Clean Development Mechanism, Mr de Boer said that no decision would be taken at the Conference on this issue although talks may put it on the agenda for future support.
