Contacts: Sergio Jellinek sjellinek@worldbank.org 080-1250-1701 Terry Townshend Terry.Townshend@gmail.com +44(0)7900-912808 Tokyo, June 29th-- After a three year GLOBE dialogue, over a hundred lawmakers from the world’s major developed and developing powers today reached an agreement on a post 2012 Climate Change Framework. The agreement - finalised at the GLOBE Tokyo G8 and +5 (Brazil, Mexico, China, India and South Africa) Legislators Forum - comes just days ahead of the Hokkaido G8 Summit. It is the result of frank debate among delegations from 13 countries and includes the views of leaders of business, international organisations and civil society. The agreement will be presented to the Chair of the G8 Summit, Prime Minister Fukuda from Japan, and tomorrow and shows leaders of the most powerful nations that a fair deal between rich and developing countries on a post 2012 framework is possible. Lord Michael Jay, the UK’s lead negotiator at the G-8 Gleneagles Summit in 2005, led the GLOBE dialogue on a post 2012 framework. At the conclusion of the negotiations today, he commented: “This GLOBE dialogue of lawmakers from the world’s developed and emerging powers has shown that there is strong support for an equitable post 2012 agreement on climate change and points the way to a successful agreement in Copenhagen next year.” The GLOBE brokered agreement calls for the creation of: a global carbon market; a Technology Fund to accelerate the transfer of technology to developing countries; and a set of market incentives to reduce deforestation：. According to the head of the Chinese delegation, Congressman Wang Guangtao, ‘GLOBE has given us the opportunity to discuss the key issues around climate change, outside the formal negotiations. This agreement shows that legislators are committed to tackling climate change in a strong, considered and equitable manner. China appreciates the opportunity to participate in this process’ For his part, the head of the Canadian delegation, Bob Mills MP, commented: “This document articulates a vision for the post 2012. This has allowed elected parliamentarians to have direct input into solutions outside of the usual political approval process. The G8+5 parliamentarians group represents over 70% of emissions of GHG. This small group has allowed us to come to a clear consensus. Strong leadership has allowed us to focus on critical issues and develop clean principles which should be followed after-2012.” The agreement establishes a set of core principles which articulate the basis of a post 2012 framework: - Common But Differentiated Responsibilities - Developed countries should continue to take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in absolute terms, whilst developing countries should take actions to control their greenhouse gas emissions within the framework of sustainable development.
- Equity – a post 2012 framework must recognize current, historical and per capita emissions of greenhouse gases, and the differing economic circumstances of developed and developing countries.
· Flexibility – a post 2012 framework should accommodate different national strategies and circumstances. - Urgency – action is urgently needed to strengthen resilience to the adverse effects of a changing climate, achieve immediate cost-effective emission reductions and assist development and deployment of breakthrough technologies to achieve deeper reductions in the future.
- Sustainable Development - Climate change should be addressed within the framework of sustainable development to seek economic development and poverty reduction and change the unsustainable pattern of consumption to harmonize economic growth and environmental protection. Developed countries should provide increased financial assistance and transfer technologies to developing countries to help the latter to contribute towards the objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
- Adaptation – Climate Change impacts are falling most heavily on those least able to cope. Mechanisms are needed urgently to assist all countries, in particular the poorest, to adapt to climate change. Adaptation should, therefore, be given equal priority to mitigation in climate change discussions.
The two day GLOBE Tokyo G8+5 Legislators Forum Japanese was opened on Saturday 28th June by Prime Minister & President of the G8, Mr. Yasuo Fukuda MP. He was joined by former UK Prime Minister, Rt Hon Tony Blair and former Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Shinzo Abe MP and over one hundred senior members of parliament from across the G8 and major emerging economies of Brazil, China, India, Mexico & South Africa. ### Notes to Editors: 1. A copy of the document can be requested from GLOBE’s Political Director, Terry Townshend at Terry.Townshend@gmail.com 2. The document will be posted Monday at www.globeinternational.org, and at www.complusalliance.org 3. For photographs of the closing ceremony pls contact Natsuko Utsumi (nutsumi@worldbank.org) What is GLOBE? GLOBE’s (Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment) www.globeinternational.org, purpose is to facilitate high level dialogues amongst legislators on key environmental issues. These dialogues are led by legislators but involve international business leaders and civil society representatives. Their objective is to urge effective action by governments and private sector leaders. What is COM+? The COM+ Alliance (Alliance of Communicators for Sustainable Development –www.complusalliance.org) is a partnership of international organizations and communications professionals from diverse sectors committed to using communications to advance a vision of sustainable development that integrates its three pillars: economic, social, and environmental. By offering a platform to share expertise, develop best practice, and create synergies, COM+ hopes to actively support creative and inspiring communications across the world to bring sustainable development closer to the public. COM+ members include The World Conservation Union, UNEP, The World Bank, CGIAR, GEF, Inter Press Service, BBC World Service Trust, Reuters Foundation, DEV TV, IFEJ, WBCSD, TVE, Southern Caucus of NGOs, Green Facts, Thomson Foundation, TVEAP, among others. |
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