Thank you Mr. President:

Bolivia, on behalf of Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela – members of the Boliviarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) – as well as Paraguay, supports the assertions made by the distinguished delegate of Yemen on behalf of the G77 and China, and considers the second commitment period by Annex 1 countries under the Kyoto Protocol to be absolutely necessary in this negotiation, not only because it is imperative that we meet the legal obligations assumed in good faith by States upon signing this international agreement, but more importantly, because we risk losing the only home we have.
Yesterday, we were asked what we expect from this group in Cancun. We were very surprised to hear that States with a legal obligation to adopt emissions reduction commitments by 2013 would make those commitments conditional upon the creation of new market mechanisms and the establishment of rules allowing them to default on their obligations, and would pass their responsibilities off on developing countries.

Mr. President, it is unacceptable that they make the discussion of emissions reduction percentages conditional upon these kinds of flexibilities for their economies and governments.

We are nearing 2012, the year in which the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol is to be completed, and we still do not have a serious and coherent proposal by Annex 1 countries on how to fulfill their obligations in the second commitment period. Their proposals thus far are not consistent with the requirements of science, the needs of developing countries, or with a fair and equitable distribution of the atmospheric space, much less with the carbon budget that we have as a planet.

Mr. President, the success of Cancun will be gauged based on the amount of respect for and compliance with existing legal institutions on climate change. Our countries will not be indifferent to the climate change disasters and injustices we are experiencing. We will go to COP-16 with full certainty that signing the amendment to the Kyoto Protocol is essential.

That is why, Mr. President, we ask that you present us with a timeline ahead of the next session that will be effective for analyzing, discussing, and arriving at a result so that Annex 1 countries undertake commitments in Cancun that allow us to limit the global temperature increase to between 1 and 1.5 degrees Celsius within this century.

Finally, Mr. President, we have observed with great concern the lack of respect for internal negotiating procedures during this session. I am referring in particular to the Kyoto Protocol Group. While the “scenario note” proposal was accepted, this was not intended to give carte blanche to change the mandate of the Group and its work regarding the Amendment of the Protocol under Article 3.9 and the modifications related to this Amendment.[1]

Mr. President, we will not allow what was experienced in this group during this session to be repeated. We must respect the mandate established in the decision MOP1. [2]

Thank you.

References:

1. Establishes the mandate for beginning negotiations on new commitments by Annex 1 Parties (developed countries) for the commitment period after 2012, in accordance with Article 3, Paragraph 9 of the Kyoto Protocol.

2. The first Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP1), held in Montreal from 28 November to 9 December 2005.