Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China by Ambassador Silvia Merega, Head of Delegation of the Argentine Republic, at the Closing Plenary of the 35th Session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 35) Durban, South Africa, 3rd November 2011 Mr. Chairman, 1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. 2. Although our expectations on the agenda items under the SBI were higher on the results the work at this session should have achieved, we believe there has been progress in moving the issues forward. Mr. Chairman, 3. The Group notes with concern that according to projected data the GHG emissions of Annex I Parties, excluding LULUCF, are expected to increase by 7.8% between 2010 and 2020. In this regard, we call on Annex I Parties to intensify their efforts aimed at reducing their GHG emissions in accordance with the principles and provisions, the objective of the Convention and their commitments under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. 4. We call on Annex I Countries to further enhance the completeness, comparability, accuracy and level of detail of the reported information. We also call on Parties included in Annex II to enhance further the completeness, comparability, accuracy and level of detail of the reported information regarding the provision of support of financial resources, technology development and transfer and capacity building to developing country parties, and regarding progress made to meet the specific needs and concerns arising from the impacts of implementation of response measures. 5. The Group notes with concern that twenty four Annex I Parties have submitted their Fifth National Communication behind the due date, and even one party has yet to submit it. In this sense, we urge the Annex I Parties to take the necessary actions to comply with the obligation of submitting them by relevant due date in the future. 6. We look forward to the discussions on further implementation of Article 12. 5 at the thirty-sixth session of SBI. Mr. Chairman, 7. The Group of 77 and China wish to highlight the value and the positive impact of the work programme of the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE). For this reason, the group has reiterated the importance of ensuring continued financial support for the implementation of the CGE’s work programme and we especially urge Parties included in Annex II to the Convention to make every effort to provide the necessary resources for the CGE to continue operating at its full capacity to play its role in improving the process of and the preparation of National Communications. 8. The Group of 77 and China has also reiterated that any consideration on further implementation of Article 12.5 must fully take into account the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and that the process of reporting for Non Annex I Parties cannot be as onerous as that of Annex I Parties. We also believe that any future reporting framework needs to reflect the enormous diversity in national circumstances between Parties, and that enhanced reporting will require a substantial increase in funding and technical resources. At a time when more and more responsibilities on reporting are placed on developing country Parties, we are faced with a situation when national communications are subject to limited allocation of funding and other conditions. 9. We would like to express our deep concern over the grave situation of the Adaptation Fund of the Kyoto Protocol. Not only have there been no voluntary contributions to the Fund, with pledges that are left unfulfilled, but also the price of certified emission reduction units have gone down drastically in the last few months. This means of course that urgent concrete adaptation projects have remained underfunded or unfunded. In this sense, Mr. Chairman, we believe it is worthy to recall that the Adaptation Fund is the only fund that provides funding for concrete adaptation activities in particularly vulnerable developing countries. 10. This comes at a time when the Least-Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), which mainly provides funding for the preparation of National Adaptation Plans of Action, also faces a serious lack of resources, and their activities are not allowed funding under the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund for Climate. This situation is also true of the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). Moreover, both the SCCF and the LDCF remains subject to co-financing, as well as the application of the concept of global benefits, imposed by the Global Environment Facility as manager of the LDCF. These Funds are voluntary Funds and the main sources of financing for adaptation for developing countries under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. Mr. Chairman, 11. The future of the Adaptation Fund is moreover uncertain, until clarity is reached on the future of the Kyoto Protocol and the financial mechanism of the Convention. It likewise remains unclear as to whether there is indeed a balanced allocation of resources between mitigation and adaptation under the fast-start finance which is now entering its final year. 12. Adaptation financing still remains clearly to be defined and implemented through the Green Climate Fund. This is a key priority for developing countries. 13. All these come at a time when extreme weather events have affected many countries around the developing world. The time for us has come to act urgently in terms of providing adequate and predictable financing for adaptation. Mr. Chairman, 14. The G77 and China stresses that the LDCs process for the formulation and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) be supported adequately. We also stress that the NAP process must be broadened to enable other developing countries to develop and implement their NAPs, which are basic building blocks for responding to climate change challenges. 15. We must now make the institutional linkages to support this process, stressing the important role that the Adaptation Committee and the LDCs Expert Group should have in the preparation and implementation of NAPs. 16. We believe that NAPs need the adequate means of implementation. We need to make progress to ensure that the formulation and the implementation of NAPS is viable and an implementation-driven process. 17. The Group considers the Work Program on loss and damage as one of the key aspects to advance the implementation of adaptation in order to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change in developing countries. We welcome the work achieved in this session and look forward to seeing enough time dedicated to this issue over the next year for the adoption of a successful outcome at COP18. 18. The G77 and China engaged constructively in the forum on the impact of the implementation of response measures at the Subsidiary Bodies, with the objective of developing a work programme under the SBSTA and the SBI to address these impacts, and to adopt at this 17th COP modalities for the operationalization of the work programme and a forum on response measures, as mandated by Paragraph 93 of 1. CP/16. 19. The G77 and China acknowledges the report of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) on the Poznan Strategic Program on technology transfer. In this regard we would like to see the future activities of GEF under this program to be aligned with activities under the Technology Mechanism of the Convention. In addition we would like to request the GEF to assess its capacity to provide support for the short term activities of the Climate Technology Center Network. 20. The G77 and China recognizes the activities done by the TEC during 2011 and urge Parties to ensure the adequate financial resources for the implementation of the TEC’s program of work for 2012. 21. On Capacity building we express our disappointment with the lack of progress under this agenda item, particularly with regard to the completion of the Second Comprehensive Review. This is the fifth time that the SBI has not been able to conclude its work. The comprehensive review is of paramount importance in the implementation of the capacity building framework according to decision 2/CP.7. Thus, COP guidance may be required to enable timely completion of such work in the future. 22. The Group of 77 and China reiterates the necessity of enabling the active participation of Palestine in the UNFCCC process and to make every effort to grant Palestine access to funding from sources of climate change financing. Finally, Mr. Chairman, 23. The Group of 77 and China would like to reassure you of its commitment to make concrete progress to ensure the success of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties and the 7th Meeting of the Parties here in Durban. I thank you.