SSWA countries display commitment at COP22 Marrakech 2016
After the Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016, all South and South-West Asian (SSWA) countries attended the Marrakech Climate Change Conference, which included the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22), the 12th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 12), and the 1st session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1). The Conference was held in Morocco from 7-18 November.
The SSWA countries addressed the high-level segment of the Conference and reported on their actions in relation to greenhouse gas emissions, reaffirming their commitment to combat climate change and calling for other parties, in particular developed countries, to fulfill their commitments under the Agreement.
Below are a few excerpts from the statements by SSWA member States during the Conference:
Afghanistan
- Established National Committee for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement (NCIPA) to facilitate and coordinate the implementation of the Agreement and relevant issues.
- Submitted National Action plans in line with its ten-year development pathway which includes Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), Local NAM and Local National Action Plan (NAP), Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) Mechanisms, as well as Climate Governance Report.
- The ratification process of the Paris Agreement depends mainly on the system of governance, which is expected to be completed in 2017.
- Closely communicated with bilateral and multilateral partners to actively engage with its citizens, civil society, academic community, NGOs and international partners.
Bangladesh
- Set up ‘Climate Change Trust Fund’ of USD 400 million.
- Achieved success in disaster risk management, including measures such as early warning system, cyclone shelters and river weeds cultivation.
- Aiming to ensure safe drinking water and sanitation for all through effective water governance and a global fund on water-related SDG to support research, innovation and technology transfer.
- Issue of climate-induced migrants remains to be addressed appropriately.
Bhutan
- National Assembly is considering the ratification of the Paris Agreement at its winter session.
- Technologies and resources to implement country-driven actions are crucial. Clear guidance for moving forward on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for mitigation action needed, along with identified communication channels to convey priorities and requirements for adaptation interventions.
- As a small, landlocked and mountainous country, highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, Bhutan has identified adaptation priorities including mitigation measures in its NDCs. Support from the global community will be critical.
India
- Undertaking ambitious adaptation and mitigation actions by increasing energy efficiency across sectors and making greater use of renewables. Achieved about 45 GW of grid connected renewable energy capacity, about ten-fold increase in over a decade. Airports are using solar energy and will move towards becoming carbon neutral. India is working on Greening of India’s extensive Railway routes and Highways.
- Mobilizing domestic funds through various schemes including a cess of USD 6 per tonne on Coal. Set up a National Adaptation Fund to help states implement their action plans. Launched a citizen-centric scheme to provide free clean cooking gas connections to women below poverty line. Another scheme supports commercial adoption of energy-efficient LED bulbs.
- Initiated the process for an Implementation plan for its NDCs in the post-2020 period.
- Equal focus should be given to Pre-2020 actions by developed countries under Kyoto Protocol and that they provide effective finance, technology transfer and capacity-building support to developing countries.
- Actions on ‘Climate Justice’ for the needs of most poor and vulnerable population are extremely important.
Islamic Republic of Iran
- Parliament approved the ratification of the Paris Agreement and practical measures [on 12 Nov 2016] such as low-carbon economy strategy and major plans to change current agriculture patterns and irrigation methods to conserve water.
- Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) and differentiation among commitments of developed countries in all fields of the Paris Agreement should be mainstreamed in all areas of action, assessments and follow-ups.
- Climate change should be addressed in the context of the SDGs and poverty eradication while acknowledging the interlinkages amongst the SDGs. In this connection, sectoral measures are to be avoided due to their serious adverse impacts on the foreign trade capacities of developing countries, crippling their capacities to address various dimensions of climate change.
The Maldives
- Must seize every opportunity to accelerate the transition to renewable, making the Facilitated Dialogue in 2018 more crucial than ever.
- The promise of climate action will be out of reach unless the international community lives up to its commitment to fully mobilize at least USD 100 billion a year by 2020 as stated in Paris.
- Pleased with the adoption of the draft decision on the Excom’s report to the COP for Loss and Damage, which sets the stage for a five-year work plan and further improvements under the CMA.
Nepal
- Implemented policy instruments, including Climate Change Policy and National Adaptation Programme of Action. Formed Climate Change Council at highest level, while implementing local adaptation plans at grassroot levels.
- Formulating National Adaptation Plan in line with national policies and strategies. Prioritizes accessing and managing climate finance, upscaling renewable energy, building adaptive capacity and resilience and implementing mitigation actions to achieve the SDGs.
- Making efforts to channel more than 80 percent of the climate finance to local level with a climate change budget code. Has started survey to document the impacts of climate change and locally appropriate adaptation strategies.
- Concerned for the slow progress in the full implementation of the Convention at international level. Commitments pledged on various agenda such as easy access to finance, technology transfer and capacity building have not been fully met.
Pakistan
- Adopted “Vision 2025” -- a National Climate Change Policy -- along with a framework for its implementation, as well as a National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy.
- Introducing a historic Pakistan Climate Change Bill in Parliament, which will establish a high-level, policy-making Pakistan Climate Change Council and Pakistan Climate Change Authority, to prepare and supervise implementation of adaptation and mitigation projects in various sectors.
- National Assembly passed a unanimous resolution adopting the SDGs Agenda as its own national development agenda.
- Enacted a law to promote effective conservation and efficient use of energy.
- Launched a Green Pakistan Programme to increase afforestation throughout the country.
- Ratified the Paris Agreement [on 10 November 2016].
- Pakistan would need up to USD 14 billion annually to adapt to climate change impacts. The availability of climate finance, technology development and transfer and capacity-building in the developing world must be ensured.
Sri Lanka
- Formulated a National Climate Change Policy and a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Set up a high-level coordination body to align its policies with its international commitments on environmental issues.
- Held the portfolio of Environment to ensure commitment, action and guidance at the highest level of Government. Launched several climate-smart initiatives, including implementing sound sustainable energy development programmes and reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions in five main sectors; energy, transport, industry, forest, and waste. Recently launched a project to conserve mangrove forests.
- Technology transfer from the developed to developing countries and greater access to finance including from the Green Climate Fund are vital. Mitigation and adaptation financing and capacity building are essential and urgent.
Turkey
- Established a 2030 road map for combatting climate change. Set a target to 21 per cent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from business as usual by 2030, planning to accomplish this target by realizing high quality infrastructure projects, utilizing clean technologies and obtaining energy efficiency.
- Will increase electricity generation from solar energy to 10,000 MW by 2030 and wind power to a 16,000 MW capacity, and utilize all of its possible hydraulic capacity.
- Has many investments in the transportation sector, carries out studies on prevention of air, water, marine pollution, leads in the world in waste management.
- Struggling to combat climate change under difficult circumstances of refugees and counter-terrorism.
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Relevant News from SSWA
1. SDG PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES
BANGLADESH
Bangladesh Bank directs banks to form sustainable finance units
06 Dec - The central bank has asked financial institutions to create a sustainable finance unit, to help the country achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
TURKEY
Turkey’s top business association calls for cooperation to achieve sustainable development
07 Dec - Turkey’s largest business organization has called on all stakeholders to achieve SDGs in line with the United Nations’ 2030 agenda.
BANGLADESH
Local government functionaries oriented with SDGs
11 Nov - Local government functionaries from selected Bangladesh districts have been oriented with the SDGs and its implications at the grassroots.
INDIA
Nationalist congress party promises to implement projects as per united nation goals
30 Dec -The Nationalist Congress Party's manifesto for the upcoming polls has put emphasis on implementation of projects on the lines of United Nation's 17 SDGs and Paris agreement to lure voters.
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Progress in Reducing Malnutrition, Food Poverty
28 Dec - The malnutrition rate in Iran dropped to 3.2% by mid-2016 from 5.1% in 1990, and Iran’s score in the 2016 Global Hunger Index report is 6.7%, a 0.1% improvement over its previous score in 2015.
BANGLADESH
PM seeks to showcase Bangladesh as SDG 6 model
20 Nov - [Bangladeshi] Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought Bangladesh to be showcased as an international model for SDG 6, involving clean water and sanitation, through adopting the appropriate strategy and action plan.
BANGLADESH
PM calls for addressing migrant issue for success of SDGs
16 Nov - [Bangladeshi] Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for global efforts to address the issue of climate-induced migrants to make the objectives of SDGs successful.
SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka considers streamlining trade and economic policies to align with SDGs
06 Nov - Being a smaller economy, it is important for Sri Lanka to streamline its trade and economic policies aligning them with the SDGs, Sri Lanka's Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen says.
MALDIVES
Minister: Every Maldivian considers education a priority
06 Nov - [Maldivian] Minister of Education, Dr. Aishath Shiham has remarked that every Maldivian placed extreme importance on education, celebrating the conclusion of her tour of every school in the country.
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2. GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
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3. REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY: TRADE, TRANSPORT AND ENERGY
BANGLADESH-BHUTAN-INDIA-NEPAL-SRI LANKA
Goa Summit Could Be the Turning Point for BIMSTEC
02 Nov - The recently concluded eighth BRICS summit in Goa, India on October 15-16 saw a range of unprecedented outcomes and engagements.
BANGLADESH-BHUTAN-INDIA-NEPAL-SRI LANKA
Government pushes for trade pact among BIMSTEC nations
07 Nov - The [Indian] government is looking to engage more with Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) nations and has started pushing for a trade pact.
BANGLADESH-BHUTAN-INDIA-NEPAL
BBIN road connectivity plan in limbo
03 Dec - [Bhutanese] Parliament is expected to once again vote on the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement. The National Assembly is likely to submit it to His Majesty the King for Royal Command to deliberate the agreement in a joint sitting.
BHUTAN-INDIA
Indo-Bhutan trade pact receives support
01 Dec – The [Bhutanese] Assembly will endorse the agreement. Deliberating on the Indo-Bhutan Trade, Commerce and Transit Agreement in the National Assembly, parliamentarians hailed the good relations between the two neighbours.
BANGLADESH-INDIA
Bangladesh, India inland water transit meeting held
06 Dec - The 18th meeting of the Standing Committee on Protocol on Inland Water Transit & Trade between India and Bangladesh was held in Dhaka.
BANGLADESH-INDIA
Call for regional gas grid at Agartala energy conference
09 Nov - As a two-day international energy conference came to an end, Tripura governor Tathagata Roy brought up the need to have a common natural gas grid shared by the three neighbours India, Bangladesh and Myanmar to ensure energy security in the region.
AFGHANISTAN-INDIA
PM stresses on connectivity to Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Central Asia
17 Dec – [Indian] Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on the need to develop the existing port and transport infrastructure and connectivity through road and rail network to Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Central Asia.
MALDIVES-SRI LANKA
Maldives, Sri Lanka discuss strengthening bilateral relations
02 Dec - [Sri Lankan] Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera held discussions with Dr. Mohamed Asim, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two Ministers discussed ways and means of strengthening bilateral relations, including economic and trade links.
BANGLADESH-INDIA
Trading with India ’10 times more cost-effective by water than road’
02 Nov - Enhancing connectivity through joint rivers is needed to increase trade, economy and tourism in and between the two neighbours, said speakers at an India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
AFGHANISTAN-INDIA
Counter-terror framework, regional connectivity dominate Heart of Asia
03 Dec -Finalising a counter-terror framework, ways to bring lasting peace to Afghanistan and boosting regional connectivity for the war-ravaged country’s economic growth were some of the major focus areas during first day’s deliberations at the Heart of Asia conference, being attended by major regional and global powers.
PAKISTAN-SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka keen to promote trade with Pakistan – envoy
13 Dec - Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Pakistan Major General (retd) Jayanath Lokuketagodage said his country is keen to promote trade with Pakistan as enhanced trade would help in improving living standards of the people of both countries.
IRAN-PAKISTAN
Pakistan Iran negotiating enhanced connectivity and banking channels, says Asif Khan Durrani
21 Dec - Enhanced connectivity and banking channels between Pakistan and Iran are imperative to fully exploit the post-sanction opportunities and in this connection negotiation are in advance stage and positive news is expected within a month, said Asif Khan Durrani Pakistani Ambassador in Tehran.
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4. MEANS OF IMPLEMENTATION
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