Klimaatconferentie op Bali
UNFCCC (COP-13)/Kyoto Protocol (COPMOP-3)
Plenary Statement by Jacqueline Cramer,
Minister of Spatial Planning and the Environment,
The Netherlands
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Ministers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mr. President, I would like to start by thanking you for hosting this crucial meeting.
Mr. President the future of our planet is at stake. We must act now. Delay will not only worsen the problem it will also multiply the costs of finding solutions.
So we must seek the way forward now and agree, here at Bali, on a roadmap that will lead to a fair and inclusive global climate regime by the year 2009.
I want to be clear about it developed countries (like EU, United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and others) have been the main cause of the global warming we face today. Therefore, it is those countries that should provide the main part of the solutions. Thus developed countries should:
- Realize absolute emission reductions of greenhouse gases in 2020 by 25 to 40% -- the range of the recent IPCC report.
- Create additional finance tools to assist developing countries in their adaptation and mitigation efforts to combat climate change. The establishment of the Adaptation Fund here at Bali is an important and tangible step towards better addressing the issue of adaptation.
- Developed countries should increase their efforts on technology cooperation.
Mr. President, as parties to the UNFCCC we should also adress the crucial topic of reducing deforestation and forest degradation through financial arrangements. We should provide a clear signal for investments by both the private sector and governments in the carbon-ecosystem service. The World Banks Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, launched yesterday, is a good first step to which the Netherlands has pledged a total of 15 million Euros.
Mr. President, in our efforts to combat climate change, we should continue to be guided by the ultimate objective of the UNFCCC, and be in full pursuit of the 2-degrees objective. With that in mind, we know that the developed world cannot do it alone. We should not shy away from addressing contributions from the developing countries - in particular the stronger ones certainly not when we do so with fairness and solidarity.
The Netherlands is willing to take a leading role. We have already committed ourselves to a 30% reduction of greenhouse gases by 2020 compared to 1990.
We also aim to account 20% of our energy consumption through renewably energy, by the year 2020. Besides solar- and windenergy, biomass will play a major role in achieving these targets. To avoid potential negative impacts of biomassuse, the Netherlands has developed sustainability criteria. We certainly do not intent to implement these sustainability standards from a unilateral, one-sided viewpoint. Instead, the Netherlands will work closely with producer countries and with all stakeholders.
Besides working at home to combat climate change, the Netherlands is actively seeking partnerships with, and supporting, developing countries in the fight against global warming. We have, for example, set aside 500 million Euros in the coming years in support of sustainable energy in developing countries. We are also very active to promote CDM-projects and to include small holders.
Mr. President, colleagues we need to join forces to prevent a global climate change catastrophe. I recognise that that is a major challenge and a responsibility for us all. Let us make the change together.
Thank you.