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Wednesday, 15 November
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Opening of the High-level Segment
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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, accompanied by UNFCCC Executive Secretary
Yvo de Boer and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
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UN Secretary General Kofi Annan entered the plenary hall, accompanied
by Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger and Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki.
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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan underlined the health, food security and
water risks associated with climate change.
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Moritz Leuenberger, President of the Swiss Confederation, supported an
international carbon tax on individuals and businesses, based on the
"polluter pays" principle.
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Mwai Kibaki, President of Kenya, stressed the threat of climate change
in Africa.
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Statements from UN Bodies and Agencies
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Rajendra K. Pachauri, IPCC, asked the policy community to consider
the implications of the upcoming AR4 for domestic and regional policies.
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Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity,
called for greater synergies among the Rio conventions.
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Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC, stressed that the future regime
should provide incentives to place development and investment on a
greener path through a "self-financing climate compact."
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Secretary-General Press Event
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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan took questions from the press.
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Morning Dialogue
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Left: Nicholas Stern presented his review on the economics of climate change,
which he identified as "the biggest market failure the world has
seen."
Right: Katherine Sierra, World Bank, reported on the World Bank Investment
Framework on Clean Energy and Development.
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Afternoon Dialogue
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Left: Gao Guangsheng, China's National Coordination Group for Climate
Change, explained that under China's 11th Five-Year Plan, energy
intensity was expected to drop by around 20%.
Right: Leon Charles, Climate Project Coordinator, Grenada, recalled
unprecedented devastation and loss of life from Hurricane Ivan, noting
the gap between pledges of relief and actual contribution.
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Country Statements
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Marthinus van Schalkwyk, South Africa for the G-77/China, stressed
adaptation and the adverse impacts of response measures.
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Jan-Erik Enestam, Finland for the EU, highlighted the dangers of
delaying action, stressing that it is not seeking to impose binding
targets on developing countries but to explore a range of options.
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Fatemeh Vaez Javadi, Vice President and Head, Department of the Environment,
Islamic Republic of Iran, asked the COP to consider the role of nuclear energy.
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Rona Ambrose, Minister of the Environment, Canada, reaffirmed its
commitment to the Protocol and called for a global solution.
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Jiang Weixin, Minister, Vice-Chairman, National Development and Reform
Commission, urged Annex I countries to agree on new emission reduction
targets.
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Connie Hedegaard, Minister for the Environment and Nordic Cooperation,
Denmark, expressed willingness to host a future COP and COP/MOP.
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Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Nuaimy, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources,
Saudi Arabia, expressed disappointment at slow progress on technology
transfer.
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Sigmar Gabriel, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation
and Nuclear Safety, Germany hoped the EU would reduce emissions by 30%
by 2020 compared to 1990 levels, and said it would be willing to cut its
own emissions by 40% by that time.
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Unconventionally, Belgium gave the floor to Margaretha Guidone, a
Belgian housewife who made an impassioned plea "to fight together
against the impacts of climate change for the next generation."
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UNEP/UNDP Press Event
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Olav Kjørven, Director of UNDP's Energy and Environment Group,
and Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP, announced a partnership
to assist Africa with adaptation to climate change and better access
to the Clean Development Mechanism. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de
Boer welcomed the partnership, and Cristina Narbona, Minister of
Environment, Spain, pledged 2 million Euros in funding to support the
partnership.
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Around COP12
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Kenyan members of the UNFCCC Secretariat staff posed with President Mwai
Kibaki.
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Professor Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize winner, visited with UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
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Presidents Kibaki and Leuenberger of Kenya and Switzerland.
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Staff from the UN Nairobi offices presented the Secretary-General with
parting gifts after his farewell address.
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President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya was wished a happy birthday!
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Secretary-General Annan greeted COP 12 President Kivutha Kibwana.
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Left: UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer briefed Secretary-General Annan.
Right: Executive Secretary de Boer smiled before the UNDP/UNEP press event.
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Secretary-General Annan, Kenyan President Kibaki and Swiss President
Leuenberger.
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Paola Deda, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species, spoke at
the Climate Change Kiosk on the impact of a changing environment on
species and their habitats.
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Kenyan cultural ambassadors performed at the start of the opening
ceremony.
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Gary Braasch, photographer, spoke at the Climate Change Kiosk on the
launch of the Rio Conventions calendar for 2007.
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Participants from Bhutan at the start of the opening session.
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