This event, moderated by Jennifer Morgan, World Resources Institute (WRI), examined the challenges and opportunities for Asia to attain low-carbon growth economies.

Casey Cronin, ClimateWorks Foundation, shared the ClimateWorks’ 2020 Gigatonne (Gt) Scorecard, noting that ClimateWorks targets their efforts on sectors with the most technical and policy abatement potential, including the power, building, appliances, industry, transport and vehicle sectors. Describing the climate change “Sudoku model,” he informed participants that the total abatement potential for ClimateWorks regions is 5.9 Gt of CO2 emissions by the year 2020, and 11 Gt by 2030.

Shuzo Nishioka, International Research Network for Low Carbon Societies (LCS-RNet) and Low Carbon Asia Research Network (LoCARNet), highlighted the work of LCS-RNet and LoCARNet in knowledge sharing to influence a move towards a low carbon world. He stressed the urgent need for researchers to engage with policy makers, and expressed interest in sharing lessons with communities outside the two networks.

Noting the growing momentum in the region to prepare nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs), Kentaro Tamura, IGES, drew attention to the need to fulfill the technical, institutional and mainstreaming dimensions needed by middle income countries to transition to low carbon economies. To this end, he stressed that developing countries must devote more resources to “in-house” capacity building, and the donor community needs to incorporate technical capacity into their strategic priorities.

Eric Zusman, IGES, spoke about bridging policy and research on short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) in Asia, noting that there are already several technologies that deal with some SLCPs on the market. However, he highlighted barriers to their uptake such as institutional inertia, “bounded rationality” of policy-makers, and lack of local ownership over technologies implemented at the local level.

Yasushi Ninomiya, IGES, spoke on how to apply the experience from measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of developed country greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, to NAMAs. He noted a lack of learning from the policy-implementation level but highlighted that knowledge from the organizational, project and national levels can be inferred when formulating plans for MRV of NAMAs in the region.

Using a case study from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) C-Energy Programme being implemented in the Philippines, Tim Stumhofer, GHGMI, shared lessons learned in building local capacity in MRV. He explained that local government officials are trained using an incremental process: an electronic-learning (e-learning) platform; workshops; and collaborations with experts from western countries.

During discussions, participants discussed: reasons for MRV; co-benefits of climate change mitigation in Asia; standardizing metrics from black carbon; and technical issues that could challenge MRV for NAMAs.

John Kilani, UNFCCC Secretariat, moderated the session, which he said would present the measures that the UNFCCC Secretariat and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board have undertaken to enhance the regional distribution of CDM.

Conor Barry, UNFCCC Secretariat, provided an overview of UNFCCC-supported initiatives to enhance regional redistribution of CDM. He said equity in the distribution of CDM projects has been an issue over the past 10 years, caused by a number of factors including underlying investment patterns and the demand structure, but also CDM rules, which have evolved to suit the stakeholders who have been most actively engaged.

In response to a mandate from parties to promote the redistribution of CDM projects, Barry said the Secretariat has implemented a range of activities including global, regional and online training for Designated National Authorities (DNAs) and project developers, CDM and DNA help desks, CDM Bazaars and translation of CDM Executive Board documents.

John Christensen, UNEP-Risø, presented on the implementation of the CDM loan scheme, which he said provides interest-free loans for the development of CDM projects, in particular to Least Developed Countries (LDCs). He said the scheme has been a success, quickly converting UNFCCC funds into concrete financing of activities on the ground, with wide distribution in LDCs.

In a brief discussion that followed, participants queried what would happen if projects fail to deliver credits or are unable to raise sufficient funds, particularly given the current low prices of CDM credits. Christensen and Barry responded that they share these concerns, which are applicable to CDM generally, and are aware of the challenge of balancing real benefits with the risks in the loan scheme.
 
Kilani said the CDM market is likely to improve in the medium- and long-term, especially if countries commit to keeping global temperature rise below 2°C, thus creating a demand for credits. Another participant warned that increasing supply during a period of low demand could further drive down prices.

Barry then presented on the CDM Regional Collaboration Centres, which he said were meant to address the varied support and capacity needs of different regions. He said the first Centre had already been established with the Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (BOAD) in Lomé, Togo, and a total of five centers will be established by 2013.

Yacoubou Bio-Sawe, BOAD, gave further details of the Togo Centre. He described existing BOAD activities related to CDM, which he said would help enhance the CDM’s development and climate change outcomes in the region.

This panel, moderated by Ashley Peterson Allen, USAID, focused on efforts from the US government to meet its Fast Start Finance (FSF) commitments.

Jonathan Pershing, Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change, US Department of State, offered an overview of FSF and US contributions, noting the US had contributed US$7.5 billion in FSF over 2010-2012 and donor countries had met and exceeded their collective commitment of US$30 billion between 2010-2012. He outlined that the two channels of US FSF funds are Congressionally-appropriated funds, distributed as grants, and development finance and export credit, including investments, direct loans, guarantees and insurance. Pershing also outlined other initiatives aimed at leveraging new resources for climate finance, including the US-Africa Clean Energy Finance Initiative, Adaptation Partnership and Global Methane Initiative.

Beth Urbanas, US Department of Treasury, presented on the US’ multilateral fund contributions. She outlined a number of funds including the Climate Investment Funds, comprised of the Clean Technology Fund, Pilot Program for Climate Resilience, Forest Investment Program and Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program, noting that lessons learned through these are informing the development of the Green Climate Fund. Reflecting on the benefits of these funds for addressing climate change, she highlighted their potential to leverage financial resources, capacity and innovation.

Kit Batten, USAID, described her agency’s efforts to contribute to FSF commitments, highlighting its bilateral work with partner countries on sustainable, long-term, low-carbon growth. She offered a number of country and regional projects as examples, including from Nepal, Peru, Africa and Southeast Asia, on activities such as a High Mountain Glacial Watershed Program, low-emission development strategies, wind farms and REDD+.

Jessica Brown, US Department of State, offered details of the US’ Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and its clean energy financing for developing countries. She noted that OPIC’s investment of nearly US$2 billion in FSF contributions mobilized an additional US$2.8 billion in private capital. She also highlighted OPIC’s clean energy portfolio had increased substantially in recent years. In concluding remarks, she emphasized the need to combine “limited public resources and smart policies” to catalyze the maximum climate investment.

During discussions, participants asked, among other things, for clarification on US financing of fossil fuel projects, reasons for changes in the distribution of US funding across various climate funds and the balance between funding for mitigation versus adaptation activities. Panelists emphasized that money earmarked for clean energy investments is mandated to be used for renewables, although Batten acknowledged that other, non-FSF US energy investments might include fossil fuel projects.

This panel, moderated by Yvonne Maingey, UNEP Tunza and Earth Child Institute youth leader, convened as part of UNFCCC Youth Day.
Sareka Jahan, British Council, emphasized future generations will be the most affected by climate change and called for educating youth on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Donna Goodman, Founder, Earth Child Institute, stressed the lack of funds to implement actions for youth. She highlighted that children born in many REDD+ project sites will reach the age of majority before investors get their investment back, and returns are therefore dependent on behavioral changes by the youth. She called for allowing children to “be creative as they are” and re-emphasized the need for resources and funding.

Kehkashan Basu, Green Hope, and, at 12 years old, the youngest delegate at Rio+20, highlighted her work in mangrove cleanups, turtle conservation, beach cleanups, tree planting and awareness campaigns. She underscored tree planting is an effective means of combatting land degradation and added that she has personally planted over 100 trees in 5 countries. She said humankind is on a path to destruction and action must be taken now.

Rhoda Robinson and Isaiah Owolabi, HACEY’s Health Initiative, discussed their work with youth. Robinson highlighted the programme allows youth to share their experiences with climate change and engage in actions such as tree planting and gardening.

Stephanie Hodge, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said youth need to mobilize around climate change and added that youth leadership demonstrated by her fellow panelists must become the norm. She called for youth to "get mad" and take action, and for the empowerment of children by providing relevant education, skills and abilities. She said every job should be a green job.

Reuben Sessa, Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA), outlined his organization's “challenge badges” programme for scouts, which educate, inspire and encourage action. He said YUNGA also provides mini-grants for environmental projects at schools. He underscored recommendations for educational programmes, including to: focus on specific achievable behavioral changes; encourage action planning; evaluate and challenge current systems; identify and tackle barriers to action; develop and practice relevant action skills; encourage connectedness with nature; promote public commitment to taking action; monitor behavioral changes; and celebrate success.

Participants discussed: interventions in early childhood development; methods of expanding initiative reach; and education for girls in Pakistan and Uganda. Goodman called for reaching out to the private sector to get them to support youth initiatives.

This event was moderated by Sam Bickersteth, CDKN, and panelists and participants discussed climate compatible development (CCD), specifically national-level actions in Kenya and Peru. Bickersteth noted that there are various lenses through which to view CCD, including resilience, poverty reduction and economic considerations. He highlighted that developing countries are taking action on CCD outside the context of both development support channels, and the UNFCCC.

Deborah Murphy, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), presented a low carbon assessment scenario analysis carried out in Kenya. She outlined the six options identified for Kenya to move to a low carbon economy: restoration of forests in degraded lands; development of geothermal power; reforestation of degraded forests; improved cook stoves; agroforestry; and the implementation of a bus rapid transit system.

Farrukh Khan, Lead Negotiator for Climate Change, Pakistan, noted that CCD, adaptation and mitigation are discussed in separate silos, and urged a concerted effort to “bring them together.” He said that: countries’ national adaptation plans are beginning to better reflect issues of poverty eradication and economic resilience; there is now a greater focus on blending national and international resources, and risk transfer modalities; and sub-regional cooperation on CCD is increasing.

Stephen King’uyu, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Kenya, spoke on the country’s National Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS) Action Plan that links adaptation, mitigation and development, and addressed legal barriers that could impede the Plan’s implementation. He underscored that the Action Plan is a multi-ministerial process, which benefits from expertise and financial allocations from a number of ministries.

Eduardo Durand, Ministry of Environment, Peru, spoke on long-term planning for climate change, highlighting his country’s Plan for Climate Change. He said the Plan seeks to identify: the risks and opportunities for a low carbon economy; whether Peru should follow the “global trend” to migrate to a low carbon economy; the positive or negative impacts of such a move on the country’s economic and social development; and the role of stakeholders in the process.

Ari Huhtala, CDKN, launched the network’s Climate Finance Advisory Service, whose primary goal is to help climate finance negotiators from vulnerable countries to influence international policy, specifically within the Green Climate Fund.

During discussions, participants discussed the role of CDKN in furthering learning from the various countries; the institutional framework to finance CCD; ways for national-level action to feedback into the UNFCCC process; demand-driven climate change policies; opportunities for private sector funding; and the need to take into account gender balance, participation and decentralization in national adaptation plans.

Koko Warner, MCII and UN University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) moderated the event, which addressed the role of insurance in addressing loss and damage.

Christoph Bals, Germanwatch, said addressing loss and damage is pertinent given the projected increase in unavoidable damage. He described insurance as more than a payout mechanism, saying it could incentivize loss reduction and resilience building activities.

Norbert Gorißen, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany, said that since public funding is limited, insurance could be a way of involving the private sector in adaptation. He described the International Climate Initiative, which has been funding climate protection projects in developing countries since 2008 with a particular focus on insurance. He also highlighted the strong need to switch from using ex-post strategies to proactively employing ex-ante risk management approaches.

Richard Choularton, World Food Programme (WFP), described the role of insurance in building the resilience of farmers and food-insecure rural households through the R4 Rural Resilience Initiative. He listed several benefits of the programme, particularly as a safety net for very poor populations hit by recurrent extreme events, which would otherwise be progressively driven to further destitution.

Rhoda Rubaiza, African Risk Capacity (ARC), described how ARC provides contingency financing and capacity building during disasters to governments participating in the multinational insurance pool. Built around a weather index insurance pool, she said ARC helps protect livelihoods and developmental gains. She highlighted that delays in payouts could destroy the coping mechanisms of vulnerable households, and therefore ARC depends on proactive modeling carried out using the Africa Risk View software, to enable governments to get contingency loans and hence respond immediately after a disaster takes place.

David Bresch, Swiss Re, said the challenge is to devise a methodology on how best to allocate scarce resources to meet the adaptation challenge, and provide decision makers with a fact base to design and execute a climate adaptation strategy and prioritize a basket of adaptation options. He presented the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) in detail.

Warner listed five roles for insurance in the context of loss and damage: foster adaptation in a meaningful mix of approaches; assess loss and damage potential; incentivize loss reduction and resilience building; reduce financial repercussions of volatility and create more space for certainty in decision making; and provide timely finance to cover loss and damage.

In the discussion that followed, participants considered the advantages and disadvantages of a global risk pooling mechanism, and the potential role of the Private Sector Facility of the Green Climate Fund in incentivizing and increasing the scale of insurance, and hence reducing costs.

Moderated by Ahmed Al Quraan, the Bahrain Petroleum Company, this panel addressed greening the building sector and opportunities for enhancing energy efficiency of buildings in the GCC region. Al Quraan called for the coordination of efforts in this sector within the GCC, with the development of unified standards for the Arab and Middle East region.

Suzan Alajjawi, Supreme Council for Environment, Bahrain, outlined a number of initiatives within her country’s government for promoting green building development. She presented the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, launched in 2008, along with initiatives from government institutions including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Works, and Electricity and Water Authority, ranging from energy audits to green retrofitting of buildings.

Naif Alabbadi, Saudi Energy Efficiency Center (SEEC), presented on the energy efficiency potential of the building sector in Saudi Arabia. He offered an overview of energy flows and demand in his country, pointing to the high percentage of electricity consumed by the building sector, and outlined energy audits conducted on buildings in different sectors. He also described the mission and activities of SEEC, highlighting its work developing a national energy efficiency programme.

Anhar Hegazi, Energy and Green Development Group, spoke on strategies and opportunities for greening the building sector in GCC countries, underscoring that efforts towards greening and energy efficiency should not be limited to the building sector but undertaken in the broader construction sector. Lauding her colleagues’ presentations on national experiences, she said two actions need to be taken across the region: the application of green building codes, regulations and specifications; and the implementation of green building projects.

Emad Adly, RAED, discussed the role of civil society in green buildings. He said the role of RAED in the GCC region could be: capacity building for civil society organizations (CSOs); establishing national focal points for CSOs active in energy efficiency and green building; developing training materials and orientation programmes to create awareness; and advancing dialogue at the League of Arab States.

Solaiman Al-Rifai, Dubai Carbon Centre (DCC), discussed renewable energy in the United Arab Emirates, emphasizing that demand-side programmes are an essential element of encouraging green building. He noted that the DCC is a public-private partnership designed to enable the transition to a green economy. He highlighted six pillars of the transition: renewable energy; green investment; green buildings and transport; carbon emissions reduction; innovation; and efficient use of water and natural resources.

During discussions, participants highlighted: waste management, recycling and the productive use of waste materials; the role of women and women’s organizations in contributing to the development of green building codes; and incentives for green buildings. Several panelists pointed to education and awareness as key elements for the adoption and advancement of energy efficiency actions and technologies.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the side (ENBOTS) © <enb@iisd.org> is a special publication of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in cooperation with the State of Qatar. This issue has been written by Tallash Kantai, Kate Neville, Anna Schulz and Anju Sharma. The Digital Editor is Kate Harris. The Editor is Liz Willetts <liz@iisd.org>. The Director of IISD Reporting Services is Langston James “Kimo” Goree VI <kimo@iisd.org>. Support for the publication of ENBOTS at the Doha Climate Change Conference - November 2012 has been provided by the State of Qatar. The opinions expressed in ENBOTS are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD and funders. Excerpts from ENBOTS may be used in non-commercial publications only with appropriate academic citation. For permission to use this material in commercial publications, contact the Director of IISD Reporting Services at <kimo@iisd.org>. Electronic versions of issues of ENBOTS from the Doha Climate Change Conference - November 2012 can be found on the Linkages website at http://enb.iisd.org/climate/cop18/enbots/. The ENBOTS Team at the Doha Climate Change Conference - November 2012 can be contacted by e-mail at <anna@iisd.org>.