ANCHORED around the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) Summit, a fresh prescription emerged recently in Bamako, Mali for the championing of the continental agenda, following a meeting of lead African negotiators, high level experts and environment ministers from about 50 countries, to consolidate Africa's common front on a comprehensive international Climate Change regime beyond 2012.The ministerial conference under the fourth special session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) on climate change ended at the International Conference Center in Bamako recently. The conference examined the work of Africa Group Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) and also the endorsed report of delegates representing countries, international organizations, research institutes and civil society organizations.Specifically, the African Ministers of the Environment adopted a declaration endorsing an 'African Common Position' as the basis for negotiations by African States at the next round of UN Climate Change negotiations (COP17) to be held in Durban, South Africa starting 17 November.The development of the Africa Common Position is being guided by agreement that a legally binding pact on emissions reduction is required under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); that the Kyoto Protocol needs leadership; and that developed countries should provide this leadership by ensuring that there is no gap between the first (2008-2012) and second commitment periods (2012-2016) of the Kyoto Protocol.According to the UNFCCC, developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of emissions in the atmosphere due to more than 150 years of industrial activity. The Protocol places a heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibilities.' There are, however, objections from some key industrialized countries that see both the Protocol and its proposed second period as ineffective.The Bamako Declaration states that the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol still constitute the fundamental global framework on climate change and requires full and effective implementation. It also states that climate negotiations must produce two outcomes: the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention; and a second period of mitigation commitments for Annex 1 Parties under the Protocol - these parties include Europe, the former eastern bloc, Australia, Japan New Zealand and the United States.The AGN is a structure of all African Member States' senior officials, experts and negotiators in the UNFCCC negotiations, with the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) providing political oversight on the group.The group met recently in Durban in preparation for the resumed session of the Bonn negotiations to be held in Panama on October 1-7, 2011. The Group is chaired by Mr Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu of the Democratic Republic of Congo.The meeting of the negotiators was preceded by a meeting of the Bureau, established in June in response to a decision of the African Union requesting the AGN to form a Bureau as part of enhancing Africa's engagement with 'one voice' in the climate negotiations. The Bureau deliberated on several strategic issues of Africa's engagement as part of the preparations for COP17/CMP7 including, updating the Africa Common Position on Climate Change, entitled 'African Climate Platform for Durban.The meeting further deliberated on a strategy being developed by the African Union Commission for the implementation and governance of climate response by the continent in concrete implementation of adaptation and mitigation actions as well as enhancing coordination structures in the negotiations.The meeting addressed issues arising under the two tracks of negotiations under the UN Climate Convention. On the Kyoto Protocol, the AGN emphasised the need for leadership on the question of the Kyoto Protocol, and urged developed countries to provide leadership by ensuring that there is no gap between the first and second commitment periods of the Kyoto Protocol.Essentially, the Ministers welcomed AGN suggestion on the need for a balanced and ambitious outcome in UN climate negotiations going to CoP 17/CMP7 in Durban citing that maintaining the integrity of Africa's socio-economic development is an essential goal of all African countries participating in the negotiations through ambitious outcomes on both tracks of the climate negotiations to implement the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol.In terms of mitigation developed countries are called upon to undertake ambitious mitigation commitments from 2013 to 2017 of at least 40 percent and to reduce their emissions by at least 95 per cent by 2050, compared to 1990 levels. Africa plans to showcase its ambitious mitigation and adaptation actions at an African Climate Pavilion in Durban.Adaptation should be at the center of the deal by ensuring a process for concrete implementation of adaptation activities, and recognizing that adaptation needs and financing depend on emission reduction ambition of all Parties. Durban is expected to finalise an ambitious Adaptation Framework, develop guidelines and support for our National Adaptation Plans and build momentum towards a mechanism to compensate for climate-related losses and damage.Technology will be addressed through operationalisation of the Technology Mechanism agreed in Cancun to enable enhanced action on technology development and transfer to support developing countries to adapt and mitigate climate change; andAfrica is looking forward to a significant enhancement of funds pledged by the developed countries to assist developing countries meet the challenges of climate change.The next meeting of the AGN will be held in Panama immediately before UN climate negotiation begins on 1 October 2011.
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