Informal plenary of Ad-hoc working group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA), June 8

The plenary started with intense comments on developing countries mitigation measures. The entire issue of NAMAs (Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions), how they would work, level and kinds of actions and technological and financial support continued to be a sensitive topic. Philippines spoke on behald of G-&& pluc China stressing the clear distinction between NAMAs and mitigation commitments of Annex I.

These commitments (beyond 2012 or Kyoto II) are being discussed in the other Ad-Hoc working group on Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP). Philippines, and later several other developing countries, stressed that any action from developing countries will only come if supported by effective implementation of the developed countries commitment on financing such actions and transfer of technology.

Also what kinds of action will measurable, reportable and verifiably (MRV) was intensely discussed. Developing countries stressed that only such actions can be MRV for which finances and technology are available. “Agreed full incremental costs” for all mitigation actions from developing countries have to be met. Many developing countries pointed out that they are already undertaking individual actions without any kind of support and this needs to be recognised.

China stressed that each developing country should choose the kinds of mitigation actions it can take as per its domestic situation and that all actions need to be voluntary. This point on all actions being chosen as per the country’s specific situation and taking into account the need to develop was expressed by other developing countries as well. The general stand was that all this needs to be incorporated into the final text expected out of LCA at Copenhagen.