Fortieth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 40)

Opening statement by Nepal on behalf of the Least Developed Countries Group

Bonn, Germany

Thank you, Chair. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the LDC Group. We associate this statement with the statement made by Bolivia on behalf of the G77 and China, and the statements to be made by Sudan on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators, and Nauru on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States.

Chair, we would like to congratulate you on your election as the Chair of this important body. Our group stands ready to work constructively under your leadership during this session. We hope that the important agenda items under SBI will get sufficient time for discussion.

We would also like to thank you, the Secretariat, the city of Bonn as well as the Government of Germany for the excellent arrangement made for the 40th session of the SBI.

Chair, on matters relating to LDCs, we would like to flag the need for a decision to enable the full implementation of all the remaining elements of the LDC work programme. We ask for due consideration of the recommendations provided by the LEG on its reports for the implementation of the LDC work programme, in particular implementation of the NAPAs as well as of the remaining elements of the work programme.

Because of inadequate funding and support in place, LDCs did not get the opportunity to apply the guidelines prepared for the “formulation of National Adaptation Plans”. We are, however, of the view that it is not necessary to revise the guidelines for “formulation of NAPs”, but they should be further enriched and expanded to fully address the objective of reducing vulnerability to climate change. To expedite the launch of formulating NAPs by LDCs, adequate financial resources through the LDCF and technical support are of utmost importance. Our Group looks forward to positive engagements by all Parties during this session to explore how to further expand and strengthen the guidelines with a view to adopting a decision on the “implementation of NAPs” in Lima.

Chair, the issue of Loss and Damage associated with adverse effects of climate change, is of the highest importance for our Group. Regarding the composition and modalities of the Executive Committee, our Group believes that the committee should be formed in a way that ensures the voice and needs of the most vulnerable countries, particularly the LDCs and SIDS, are properly addressed. In this regard, our group has developed some concrete ideas on the composition and modalities.We look forward to concrete and positive discussions on this matter.

Chair, the LDC Group is very concerned about the depleting resources of the Adaptation Fund. In our recent submission, we have made specific suggestions on innovative sources of funding to guarantee sustainable, predictable and adequate financial resources for this fund.We look forward to discussions and responses from partners on our proposals.

Furthermore, it is very discouraging to see that there are still very few projects from LDCs listed in the Report of the GEF on the progress made in carrying out the Poznan Strategic Programme on Technology Transfer. We welcome the new round launched in some LDC countries but the funding of the identified projects in the previous rounds is crucial in order to maintain trust in the process.

For the LDC Group, Capacity Building plays an important role. Capacity Building enables our countries to effectively implement the provisions of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. Our Group is of the view that the work on finalizing the elements of the work plan of the capacity building forum, which was due in an earlier session, has to be formalized as soon as possible. The lack of adequate resources, and permanent institutional arrangement for effective implementation and monitoring of all the activities on Capacity Building including the linkages between adaptation, mitigation, technology and financial system are the main obstacles on this issue. We have shared our ideas and concern in our submission, and we look forward to making progress in this matter.

The LDC Group also looks forward to an active participation and rich interaction at the Second Dialogue on Article 6. We would also request to make available information about such events well in advance so that we can well prepare.

Chair, on the 2013-2015 Review, we believe that the centrality of science is fundamental. We hope that the Third Structured Expert Dialogue (SED) will be instrumental in utilizing findings of the IPCC Working Group reports, which clearly outline the need for deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions now, up to and beyond 2020. LDCs strongly believe and reaffirm that temperature rise should be kept below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. Consideration of relevant non-IPCC sources or other scientific inputs made after the literature cut-off date for the fifth assessment report available also deserve due consideration for the successful completion of the work of the SED. It is, therefore, important to organize additional meetings of the SED in 2014 as well as in 2015, as outlined in the co-facilitator’s note. Most importantly, LDCs believe it is crucial to ensure that the results and recommendations of the Review are consistently integrated in the on-going discussions of ADP.

Chair and colleagues, we look forward to working constructively with you all.

Thank you.