First world must pay carbon bill – NESDB / Think-tank to prepare climate change plan
- Friday, October 2, 2009, 15:16
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First world must pay carbon bill – NESDB / Think-tank to prepare climate change plan
Developed countries should foot the bill for efforts to cut the carbon footprint of developing countries, says the National Economic and Social Development Board’s deputy secretary-general.
The economies of developing countries should not suffer from moves to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, said Arkhom Termpittayapaisith.
“I think that by now no one will argue that climate change is not a common problem for all of us. The developed nations [whose carbon emissions are high] should be the ones who have to deal with it instead of developing countries,” he said, speaking at a workshop on low carbon growth studies.
Tackling climate change should not slow poorer countries’ development or their efforts against poverty, he said.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change found developed countries emitted 3,723.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2006, down 37% from 5,907.8 million in 1990.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, developed countries must reduce emissions to an agreed level, with the option of buying carbon credits from other countries whose emissions are still relatively low.
The United Nations Development Programme has facilitated schemes where developed countries help developing ones create a cleaner environment and curb carbon emissions, and certifies such projects as worthy of carbon credits under the Kyoto protocol.
The NESDB is currently drawing up its 11th national economic and social development plan, which seeks to integrate climate change into the development agenda.
It is also about to begin a study on a comprehensive national strategy to adapt to and mitigate climate change.
Dr Arkhom said the government had spent the last six months preparing an investment plan for the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) with close collaboration from the World Bank.
The CTF is one of two Climate Investment Funds, set up last year, which have a US$6.2 billion budget from donor countries for financial and technical assistance to help developing countries become lower-carbon economies.
Projects eligible for CTF support must demonstrate they could substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependency on fossil fuels.
“But even if it [the CTF financial contribution] does not [result in something transformative], the preparation of our CTF’s investment plan does kick-start a process among government agencies and the private sector in investment planning for low carbon technologies,” he said.
But Climate Investment Funds alone will not be enough to ensure developed countries provide sufficient support to developing ones in their efforts to tackle climate change, he said.
* Published: 2/10/2009 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: Business
Writer: Nanchanok Wongsamuth & Nareeratr Wiriyapong
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