## Capacity building and Education for Sustainable Development

12. It was pointed out that the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) is important in order to promote capacity building for realizing a sustainable society and the World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to convene in Germany in March 2009 was welcomed. In order to further promote ESD, it may be helpful to share best practices such as partnership projects by related stakeholders and to assist capacity building in developing countries through networks among higher educational institutions in developing and developed countries and international organizations.

## Post-2012 Framework

## Contribution to UN negotiations

13. The importance of concluding negotiations on a post-2012 framework in line with the Bali Action Plan no later than December 2009 was emphasized.

## Mid-term targets

14. The need was expressed for effective mid-term targets which take into account the findings of the IPCC.

## Commitment and actions by developed countries and actions by developing countries

15. It was recognized that there is considerable work already being undertaken by both developed and developing countries. At the same time, the need to strengthen our efforts to make a shift to low-carbon societies was emphasized. For the total global GHG emissions to peak and then decrease within the next 10-20 years, bearing in mind the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, developed countries must commit to quantified national emission targets, actively adopting measures to reduce GHG emissions, while further mitigation actions by developing countries are also necessary. Incentives for such actions by developing countries are also necessary. For countries with rapidly increasing GHG emissions, it is especially critical to strive to curb the rate of increase. Elaborating on such commitments and actions is an important element of implementing the Bali Action Plan, and providing support to the process is necessary.

## Effectiveness of sectoral approach

16. Bottom-up analyses of GHG emissions reduction potentials can be useful tools for setting national reduction targets. In this context, a gap that might occur between reduction potentials based on a bottom-up approach on one hand and required emissions reductions levels calculated by a top-down approach on the other must be bridged to ensure environmental integrity. These gaps can be bridged by exploring further emission reductions using policies and measures, innovative technologies, and changes in lifestyles through national campaigns. It was clarified by a proponent of the sectoral approaches that sectoral approaches would be used to set national targets, not as a substitute for them. Analyses of the mitigation potentials can provide scientific and objective knowledge that contribute to the formulation of an effective future regime. It was pointed out that reduction potentials in developing countries are likely to be large and relatively inexpensive, and the cooperative sectoral approach backed by assistances from developed countries could contribute to realizing these potentials.

## Assistance towards mitigation actions in developing countries

17. It was recognized that mitigation actions in developing countries require support and incentives from developed countries.

## Measurability, reportability, and verifiability

18. It is essential to develop methodologies to enable the measuring, reporting, and verifying of countries' commitments and actions based on the Bali Action Plan. It is also important to collect methodologies to formulate and promote environmental policies, and to provide them to the UNFCCC process. It was noted that setting up and running GHG inventories in developing countries is of fundamental importance and G8 countries should consider supporting capacity building in developing countries for the collection and provision of data.

## I mportance of dialogues among major economies and the “Kobe Initiative”

19. A continuation of dialogues among major economies would be a valuable input for confidence-building towards the establishment of an effective post-2012 framework. There was wide support to follow up on the outcome of this meeting as the “Kobe Initiative”. Appreciation was expressed to the UK and Italy for hosting meetings focusing on an international research network on low-carbon societies for later this year (UK), and next spring (Italy).

## The Kobe Initiative involves:

i. International research network on low-carbon soci-