THE MINISTRY of Water and Housing is looking to donor agencies to assist in its establishment of a Climate Change Unit. The unit will be a follow-up to the preparation of Jamaica's first national communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.The unit will have as its major responsibility, the co-ordination of the international and scientific aspects of climate change and seeks to act as the main focal point for collaborating climate change activities.
According to Minister of Water, Dr. Karl Blythe, this would provide the basis for follow-up work and continuity as well as a means of broadening the capacity and knowledge base of technical personnel.
"This we envision will dovetail into the activities and agenda of our planned National Climate Committee as a part of our proposed Sustainable Develop-ment Council," he said.
Dr. Blythe said that he hoped the move would "find favour with supporting door agencies."
Jamaica, he went on, must continue to press for the early entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol and for ratification by those countries that have not yet done so. "However, in doing so, we must also take their concerns into consideration," he said.
"We recognise that to decide on emission level commitments too soon might negatively influence how our economies develop in the future.
"At the same time, we also recognise that the struggle to deal with issues of climate change is a global partnership that has no political boundaries, but requires political goodwill," he said.
Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jamaica, Gillian Lindsay-Nanton, said that the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) was an important component of the Kyoto Protocol. It had the dual objective of assisting developing countries by opening up new channels for financial resources and technology transfer, while assisting industrialised countries in achieving compliance with their emission reduction commitments.
Mrs. Lindsay-Nanton said that the UNDP would be instrumental in assisting developing countries to build the capacity needed for them to participate in this mechanism, assist in the identification and development of projects that can qualify for this arrangement, as well as, aid in assembling the multilateral financing required.
She observed that five years had passed since Jamaica ratified the UN Framework Convention and commended the Government for its continuing efforts to fulfil the commitments as outlined in the Articles under this Convention.
The UNDP's overarching mandate was to help developing countries eradicate poverty. Promoting sustainable livelihoods was fundamental to this task and as a result, addressing climate change was an important issue for UNDP.
She noted that it is the developing world that will probably be most affected by altered weather patterns, changes in food production and rising sea levels. Indeed, small island developing states would even be more affected by these developments and this was well highlighted in the Small Island Developing States Programme of Action.
The challenge, therefore, was to promote sustainable development while limiting the negative impacts of human activities on climate.
"This will require our continued assistance in the identification and implementation of appropriate policies and programmes. Further, working strategically toward meeting this challenge will mean mobilising the full range of resources available and strengthening developing countries' capacities to successfully cope with this undertaking," Mrs. Lindsay-Nanton said.
However, this was easier said than done. In many developing countries there was the need to build capacities to use and access information technologies. It was important also for these countries to fully engage in the negotiating processes of the Convention on Climate Change. "This must be and can only be accomplished by the developing countries themselves," she said.
Gas emissions
Through its own resources and its role as an implementing agency of the Global Environment facility (GEF), the UNDP has directed substantial resources to activities that can support development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The UNDP currently manages a portfolio of GEF-financed climate change programmes valued at approximately US$250 million. An additional US$200 million has also been leveraged from co-financing, national sources, UNDP programmes and other donors.
During 1997 and 1998, the GEF approved enabling activities through the UNDP, for 14 Caribbean countries including Jamaica, to prepare their Initial Communications to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Mrs. Lindsay-Nanton said she was aware that the preparation of the Initial Communications was not an easy task for many developing countries with inadequate expertise, institutional support and government commitment being amongst the problems experienced.
Jamaica, she went on, must be congratulated for being one of the four countries in the region that was at an advanced stage of completing this undertaking. "At the same time, we need to remain cognisant of the fact that this is but one small step towards addressing the global issues related to climate change that are facing us. Some of these include rising sea levels, increases in greenhouse gas emissions and altered weather patterns."
The UNDP representative promised that her organisation would continue to offer assistance to the Government in the move towards developing other initiatives to address these issues as well as seeking and embracing other opportunities now available to developing countries.
The Clean Development Mechanism was one such mechanism.
