South African Government<\/a> (Pretoria)<\/p>\n11 December 2011<\/p>\n
press release<\/p>\n
Durban \u2014 Delegates<\/p>\n
I\u00a0 would\u00a0 like\u00a0 to\u00a0 welcome you to an informal joint meeting of the COP and CMP.<\/p>\n
Colleagues,<\/p>\n
As\u00a0 Presidency, South Africa has been transparent; we offered you conducive facilities\u00a0 for\u00a0 productive\u00a0 discussions.\u00a0 You have arrived at a package of documents\u00a0 based\u00a0 on\u00a0 your\u00a0 discussions.\u00a0 Today,\u00a0 I have held consultations throughout\u00a0 the\u00a0 day\u00a0 on\u00a0 this\u00a0 package through a transparent and inclusive process.<\/p>\n
Here\u00a0 in\u00a0 Durban\u00a0 late in the night, we can make history, it is your choice what\u00a0 history\u00a0 you\u00a0 want\u00a0 to\u00a0 make.\u00a0 This\u00a0 is\u00a0 your\u00a0 Conference.\u00a0 This is a Party-driven process.<\/p>\n
We\u00a0 have been presented with a draft text of the outcome of the work of the AWG-LCA\u00a0 and\u00a0 AWG-KP. Before we enter into discussion on this text, I would like to request your indulgence again and allow me a few words.<\/p>\n
Already\u00a0 more than 24 hours into injury time of this Conference, we need to take\u00a0 a\u00a0 step\u00a0 back\u00a0 tonight\u00a0 and\u00a0 try to see the LCA package in a holistic perspective.\u00a0 I\u00a0 am\u00a0 aware\u00a0 that\u00a0 no piece of this package on its own would completely\u00a0 satisfy\u00a0 your respective countries national interests. We came to Durban knowing that we will have to make compromises. That is the nature of multilateralism. Finding effective solutions to global problems requires give and take.<\/p>\n
The elements of the packages are interlinked and we have spent the last two weeks\u00a0 and\u00a0 spared\u00a0 no\u00a0 effort\u00a0 to\u00a0 find the right balance between the four elements:\u00a0 the\u00a0 second commitment period under Kyoto, the set of agreements on\u00a0 long-term\u00a0 cooperative\u00a0 action, and the way forward to ensure the full, effective\u00a0 and\u00a0 sustained\u00a0 implementation of the Convention, as well as the establishment of the Green Climate Fund.<\/p>\n
To\u00a0 take\u00a0 the\u00a0 next\u00a0 steps\u00a0 forward\u00a0 we\u00a0 must reach agreement on all of the elements\u00a0 of\u00a0 the Durban package when taken into the respective CMP and COP plenaries. These elements are:<\/p>\n
The second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol<\/strong><\/p>\nA decision on the work of the AWG-LCA, which comprises many areas, including a work programme and forum on response measures<\/p>\n
A decision on the Green Climate Fund; and<\/p>\n
Agreement on the Durban Platform.<\/p>\n
Although\u00a0 the\u00a0 draft decisions will be considered individually in different bodies, collectively they constitute the Durban package. Colleagues, I do not\u00a0 need to impress upon you that we require the necessary assurances from each\u00a0 other\u00a0 to\u00a0 agree in principle to all the draft decisions constituting the\u00a0 package\u00a0 and\u00a0 that\u00a0 they will be adopted formally and expeditiously in their\u00a0 respective\u00a0 bodies\u00a0 without\u00a0 further\u00a0 debate\u00a0 and\u00a0 amendment.\u00a0 I\u00a0 am appealing\u00a0 for\u00a0 this approach to ensure that when the draft decisions go to their respective bodies we will be certain that each element of the package will be adopted as is.<\/p>\n
In\u00a0 addition, I would like to appeal to you to reflect for a moment on what we\u00a0 have\u00a0 achieved\u00a0 – not only in the last two weeks, but in the last year. The texts before you are over 200 pages long. This is already a significant achievement.\u00a0 The overwhelming amount of work contained in the texts is the result\u00a0 of the work of your dedicated negotiators. It has been difficult to reach\u00a0 this point. You have come a long way. Bear in mind all the decisions that you have already adopted in the SBI and SBSTA – this is no small feat.<\/p>\n
You\u00a0 have\u00a0 spent many a late hour debating each and every little detail. On the\u00a0 greatest\u00a0 majority of issues you were able to find mutually acceptable solutions.\u00a0 On\u00a0 a\u00a0 few areas, Parties could not agree. On these issues, the Chairs,\u00a0 the Ministerial Facilitators and the COP\/CMP President tried their best\u00a0 to find the middle ground. Clearly these issues are important to you, but let us not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0 would\u00a0 like to remind you of some of the important achievements that you now\u00a0 have\u00a0 the\u00a0 opportunity of putting into action, thereby building on our collective,\u00a0 multilateral\u00a0 response\u00a0 to\u00a0 climate\u00a0 change. I am particularly pleased\u00a0 that\u00a0 we have made significant progress on a number of issues that are\u00a0 crucial\u00a0 to\u00a0 vulnerable\u00a0 countries,\u00a0 including\u00a0 those in Africa. These issues include adaptation, technology development and transfer, finance and response\u00a0 measures.\u00a0 Negotiations\u00a0 on\u00a0 these\u00a0 issues\u00a0 have\u00a0 been\u00a0 long\u00a0 and difficult.<\/p>\n
Of\u00a0 course,\u00a0 the package is not the best we can do – we must and we will do better.\u00a0 For\u00a0 now,\u00a0 it is important to preserve the integrity of the system and the trust among countries, as well as the trust of the global citizenry in\u00a0 the\u00a0 UNFCCC process. Let us not walk out here tonight to tell the world that\u00a0 we have failed to deliver on their high expectations. Let us walk out here tonight and tell them that we have made good progress, that the system is\u00a0 intact\u00a0 and functioning well, and that we will go to Qatar next year to build on our achievements!<\/p>\n
I\u00a0 have\u00a0 full\u00a0 appreciation\u00a0 that\u00a0 some\u00a0 of\u00a0 you may feel that what we have achieved\u00a0 is\u00a0 too modest, while others feel that they are being asked to do too\u00a0 much.\u00a0 I believe however that the package before us is the bridge that will join us together.<\/p>\n
Let’s make history tonight; let’s send a positive message to the world from African\u00a0 soil\u00a0 that\u00a0 we are taking climate change head-on; let’s strengthen multilateralism.\u00a0 That\u00a0 is\u00a0 the\u00a0 only\u00a0 system\u00a0 we\u00a0 have\u00a0 – it always seems impossible until it is done!<\/p>\n
Thank you.<\/p>\n
AllAfrica – All the Time<\/p>\n
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Continue reading here:South Africa: Address to the Joint Informal Plenary by the COP17\/CMP7 President, Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" South African Government (Pretoria) 11 December 2011 press release Durban \u2014 Delegates I\u00a0 would\u00a0 like\u00a0 to\u00a0 welcome you to an informal joint meeting of the COP and CMP. Colleagues, As\u00a0 Presidency, South Africa has been transparent; we offered you conducive facilities\u00a0 for\u00a0 productive\u00a0 discussions.\u00a0 You have arrived at a package of documents\u00a0 based\u00a0 on\u00a0 your\u00a0 discussions.\u00a0 Today,\u00a0 I have held consultations throughout\u00a0 the\u00a0 day\u00a0 on\u00a0 this\u00a0 package through a transparent and inclusive process. Here\u00a0 in\u00a0 Durban\u00a0 late in the night, we can make history, it is your choice what\u00a0 history\u00a0 you\u00a0 want\u00a0 to\u00a0 make.\u00a0 This\u00a0 is\u00a0 your\u00a0 Conference.\u00a0 This is a Party-driven process. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n
South Africa: Address to the Joint Informal Plenary by the COP17\/CMP7 President, Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/11\/south-africa-address-to-the-joint-informal-plenary-by-the-cop17cmp7-president-minister-maite-nkoana-mashabane\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"South Africa: Address to the Joint Informal Plenary by the COP17\/CMP7 President, Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"South African Government (Pretoria) 11 December 2011 press release Durban \u2014 Delegates I\u00a0 would\u00a0 like\u00a0 to\u00a0 welcome you to an informal joint meeting of the COP and CMP. Colleagues, As\u00a0 Presidency, South Africa has been transparent; we offered you conducive facilities\u00a0 for\u00a0 productive\u00a0 discussions.\u00a0 You have arrived at a package of documents\u00a0 based\u00a0 on\u00a0 your\u00a0 discussions.\u00a0 Today,\u00a0 I have held consultations throughout\u00a0 the\u00a0 day\u00a0 on\u00a0 this\u00a0 package through a transparent and inclusive process. 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