International Experts Workshops on Carbon Management and its Implications:
1st Global Methane Initiative (GMI) for Oil and Gas Sector Workshop and Exhibition
in the Middle East and The International Experts Workshop on the Adverse Social and
Economic Impacts of Mitigation Measures

The International Experts Workshop on the Adverse Social and Economic Impacts of Mitigation Measures was opened on Wednesday morning by Chair Khalid Abuleif, Saudi Arabia. Macharia Kamau, Co-Facilitator of the Post-2015 Intergovernmental Negotiations, moderated the first session which framed the issue within the context of sustainable development. He highlighted that the objective of the workshop is to discuss efforts towards advancing sustainable development and tackling climate change.

The UNFCCC Secretariat presented the status of response measures under the UNFCCC process, recalling relevant decisions adopted by parties over 23 years. Various perspectives were then presented.

In the afternoon, participants addressed climate change and literature in a session moderated by Eduardo Calvo, San Marcos University, Peru. An overview of the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) was presented. Participants highlighted the need to consider the intended and unintended consequences of mitigation policies while also recognizing that mitigation cannot be delayed. Chinese, African and Bahraini perspectives were provided, and participants noted the challenge of including more literature and research from developing countries in IPCC reports.

The session on tourism was moderated by Amjad Abdullah, the Maldives. Participants highlighted the importance of tourism for developing countries in the context of economic development and diversification. The Bahamas presented a case study regarding the impact of response measures on tourism, highlighting the country's vulnerability to sea level rise. UNDP discussed interrelationships between climate change and tourism. The Maldives gave a presentation on the potential impacts of mitigation measures on tourism, highlighting the strong link between GDP growth and tourism within the Maldives and the current reliance on fossil fuels.