Meeting of the Chairpersons of Economic and Environmental Affairs Committees Simone Borg, Ambassador for Malta on Climate Action.
Drivers of Change Welcome and Thank You A unique opportunity to host you here to discuss two issues that are of vital importance in the wake of the Paris Agreement and its impact in our daily lives. Session I: The Social and Economic Impact of Climate Change: The Costs of Doing Nothing UNFCCC Financial Resources Session II and III: Financing the cost of taking action climate change as an exciting opportunity for non-state actors
Paris Agreement: Main Messages The temperature limit is to be reached by: A peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible Achieving a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century. While industrialised nations SHALL TAKE THE LEAD, all States have committed themselves by submitting nationally determined contributions to mitigate green house gas emissions subject to transparent legally binding accounting rules. Action on adaptation is to be reviewed and accelerated every five years in parallel to the contribution cycles for mitigation.
Crucial Impact on the Lives of Our Citizens, Businesses our Communities Who best represents us if not National MPs? Who is closest to the grass roots? Who can best monitor implementation of national targets? Who is in the best position to highlight challenges and opportunities? Who will best voice the concerns of citizens, communities and businesses alike.
What s all the Fuss about Climate Change? Climate Change is very topical and popular.. maybe because of the sensationalism and finger pointing it generates probably because of the socio economic challenges to mitigate and ensure climate resilience and adaption Has been the subject of acrimonious debates sometimes even within national Parliaments in Europe Has generated a new impetus for innovation and research in all fields science, technology, but even in humanities and social sciences
From Scientific Observation...to Soul Searching to...political Action
The EU and its MS in Action The EU and its MS a front runner in pushing for climate action even when things seemed at a standstill or when other States may step back in sealing the Paris Agreement and putting it into force in adopting reduction targets from all sectors via a rules based system in involving non State actors in leading the transformation to a carbon neutral climate resilient economy within the EU and beyond in creating global partnerships for climate action
Yet this is what reaches our ears... People are not really aware what climate change is all about... Some believe climate change is a hoax, or it may happen but does not concern us... Some are convinced about it but they feel governments are not doing anything about it... Some fear job losses, further expenses in basic commodities others think governments are responsible for climate action and they are not taking it seriously enough.. climate conferences are talking shops where diplomats go on holiday...at the tax payer s expense..and action is being constantly postponed
This is where National MPs come in... A very technical topic but no rocket science is needed to understand that climate action requires Leadership Solidarity Innovation MPs uniquely placed to bring to the grassroots linkages between: Science Politics Law and Policy Investment
The Role of National Members of Parliament in driving the right messages to the Public and other Non State Actors
The Role of National Members of Parliament Working and accepting the unknowns about climate change and looking at Climate Action as a Risk Management Priority
The Role of National Members of Parliament International negotiations depend on national decisions. The role the international climate process is to serve as a catalyst for national developments by forcing national policy makers to contribute and continuously revisit it. Success of the Paris Agreement depends on whether the Agreement: has the potential to catalyse further changes to ensure emissions are neutralized in time -frames set becomes a trend setter for policy processes nationally and therefore on an international level.
More Work to Do to Address Shortcomings : National contributions re mitigation, adaptation and finance are unilateral. nationally determined. Contributions that countries have submitted fall far short of the stipulated global ambition: even if fully implemented, global mean temperature would most likely still increase in the range of 2.7 C to 3.5 C. This is a serious shortfall and action to strengthen those contributions especially by large emitters must start already in 2018 in order to keep the world on a path that is considered safe for humanity.
Other Shortcomings that will influence National Budgets and Global Partnerships The finance part of the Paris Agreement does not contain any compulsory language to scale up climate finance. Only the accompanying decision text reiterates that the goal of mobilising an annual USD 100 billion of North- South financial flows in 2020 and beyond, promised already in Copenhagen, is still valid. Furthermore, Parties agreed to set a new, collective financing target by 2025. In this context, the USD 100 billion figure is now considered the floor of financial contributions rather than the ceiling as before Paris. While the need for substantial adaptation finance has been recognized in the Paris Agreement, it does not include a collective, quantified goal for adaptation finance.
The Role of National Members of Parliament Monitoring Progress Maintaining momentum Pushing for innovation effectiveness preparedness and resilience especially amongst the most vulnerable
Best place to say...well...even if...
Present and future generations are/will be grateful.