RESOLUTION(1)

on climate change and small island developing states in the context of the ACP-EU cooperation framework

The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,

- meeting in Strasbourg (France) from 29 March to 1 April 1999,

- having regard to the report of the Working Group on Climate Change and ACP Small Island States (ACP-EU 2478/A/99/fin. and ACP-EU 2478/B/99/fin.),

- having regard to its previous resolutions on climate change, small island states and environment,

- having regard to the relevant provisions of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which gives specific recognition to the particular vulnerability and special circumstances of developing countries, particularly small island states and other countries with low-lying coastal areas or areas liable to drought and desertification,

- having regard in particular to articles 4.1 (e), 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.7 and 4.8 of the UNFCCC that outline the commitments of developed countries (among them the European Union and the EU Member States) to support developing countries with financial resources and transfer of technology,

- having regard to the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC, in particular article 12 (clean development mechanism),

- having regard to the Buenos Aires Plan of Action, contained in the decisions of the fourth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, which calls on industrialised country Parties to provide funding, through the Global Environment Facility (GEF), to alleviate the negative impact of climate change and to minimise its adverse effects,

- having regard to the Programme of Action for small island states adopted at the UN Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of small island developing states (Barbados 1994) and in particular Chapter I thereof,

- having regard to the report of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) on progress in the implementation of the Programme of Action for small island states which states that little progress has been made on the climate change and energy resources chapters,

- having regard to the report of the prospective donors-SIDS conference that took place at the United Nations on 24-26 February 1999 in the context of the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action,

- having regard to the conclusions of the EU Environment Council of 6 October 1998 in which the Commission is asked to indicate how EC Overseas Development Aid funds might better serve the objective of the UNFCCC, noting that these funds should not be used to finance the acquisition of certified emission reduction units,

- having regard to the International Convention to Combat Desertification,

- having regard to article 41 of the Lomé IV Convention whereby the Parties recognise the value of exchanging views on major ecological hazards, such as the greenhouse effect, aimed at assessing the scope for joint action within the terms of the Convention,

A. noting that at the prospective donors-SIDS conference that took place in February 1999, it was underlined that development assistance to SIDS substantially declined and that resource mobilisation was one of the main challenges; donor countries, among them the EU Member States and the European Commission, confirmed the critical need for improved and effective coordination in the cooperation with SIDS; better coordination would reduce costs and improve effectiveness and efficiency,

B. whereas climate change is an unprecedented threat to human wellbeing and survival caused by increasing and inequitable unsustainable consumption patterns globally,

C. committed to the objective of a reduction in greenhouse gases emissions by the Annex 1 countries of 20 % by the year 2005 based on the 1990 emission-levels, which was proposed by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) at the first Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC,

D. whereas the Kyoto Protocol is considered as a step in the right direction but still inadequate,

E. deeply concerned that the EU has conditioned its ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on the actions of other countries, and further concerned that many EU Member States are experiencing rapid growth in greenhouse gas emissions,

F. whereas the African continent is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of factors such as widespread poverty, recurrent droughts, inequitable land distribution and overdependence on rain-fed agriculture; and whereas increased droughts could seriously impact on the availability of food,

G. whereas certain African states in the southern Sahara are particularly sensitive and vulnerable to climate change on account of their landlocked nature and their proximity to the Sahara desert, and whereas they are amongst the poorest countries on earth,

H. whereas coastal zones are characterised by a rich diversity of ecosystems and a great number of socio-economic activities, and whereas it is currently estimated that about half of the global population lives in coastal zones,

I. recalling that about a third of all signatories to the Lomé Convention are small island states and that these countries are particularly vulnerable to the adverse consequences of climate change such as sea-level rise, coral bleaching, and the increased frequency and intensity of tropical storms,

J. whereas small island developing states and African states in the southern Sahara are among those that contribute least to global climate change and sea level rise, they are among those that would suffer most from the adverse effects of such phenomena and could in some cases become uninhabitable,

K. considering the preliminary outcome of the studies on the vulnerability index by the Joint Commonwealth/World Bank Task-Force on Small States that emphasises that small island developing states are, among the developing states, most vulnerable to external economic and environmental shocks and that their resilience to these shocks is most limited,

L. having regard to the negotiations currently taking place for a future ACP-EU agreement and the necessity of integrating the principles of sustainable development into all areas of cooperation,

M. whereas the European Union and the Commission to date have not developed a coherent policy and programme to implement the commitments made under articles 4.1 (e), 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4,7 and 4.8 of the UNFCCC, in particular with regard to transfer of technology and capacity-building in developing countries,

With regard to the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States

1. Calls on all parties to reaffirm the importance of the priorities set out in the "Barbados Programme of Action for the sustainable development of Small Island States" and to fully and effectively integrate this programme and a specific programme for the African states in the southern Sahara into the planning and implementation of the Lomé Convention and its successor agreement in ACP Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and African states in the southern Sahara;

2. Affirms that regional mechanisms for interaction and cooperation among SIDS are an essential basis for action under the "Barbados Programme of Action";

3. Notes a lack of coordination among EU member states concerning their commitments made under the "Barbados Programme of Action" and insists that country level coordination among donors and partners within the overall framework of a national strategy is critical to maximise the impact, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of actions to promote sustainable development;

4. Considers that efforts being made at the national and regional levels to implement the "Barbados Programme of Action" need to be supplemented by effective financial support from the international community;

5. Calls on the EU to play an active role in the two day United Nations Special Session to be held in New York in September 1999 to undertake a full and comprehensive review and appraisal of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island States, so as to achieve its full objectives;

6. Calls on the European Commission to take the initiative on the critical issue of donor coordination between EU Member States, the Commission and SIDS in the framework of the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action; also calls on the Commission to draw up, with the EU Member States, a Plan of Action on improved donor coordination, to be presented at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) in September 1999;

With regard to climate change in the ACP-EU framework

7. Considers that prevention of and adaptation to climate change is an area in which ACP-EU cooperation should be enhanced in the new agreement successor to Lomé IV;

8. Agrees that actions supported under National and Regional Indicative Programmes (NIP/RIP) need to be implemented with an integrated approach to sustainable development; that in particular adaptation strategies relating to climate change and sea level rise should be incorporated in long-term development planning processes; and that bilateral donors and United Nations agencies and organisations, as well as the World Bank, should join in the promotion of coordinated capacity-building programmes to support the development and implementation of national, subregional and regional strategies;

9. Recommends that policy development and programmes on climate change in the context of ACP-EU cooperation be focused on three areas: renewable energy-resources, adaptation and disaster-preparedness;

10. Notes the establishment of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol and stresses that efforts should be made to bring coherence between projects developed under CDM and programmes related to renewable energy, adaptation to climate change and disaster preparedness under the Lomé Convention;

11. Notes that, up to now, no commonly agreed methodology has been devised to assess the results of projects under the CDM; consequently believes that a strict, transparent monitoring and verification system, and clear participation requirements, are essential if the CDM is to be successful;

12. Notes the potential for the CDM to generate substantial resources for the funding of mitigation and adaptation projects in ACP countries; recommends, in order to ensure that the CDM is competitive with the Protocol's other implementation mechanisms and that mitigation projects are carried out in regions long neglected by the market, that:

- an adaptation levy be applied to transactions under Article 6 (Joint Implementation) and Article 17 (Emissions Trading); and that

- project eligibility criteria developed under the CDM can promote projects in ACP and least developed countries;

13. Notes that the Buenos Aires Plan of Action calls on developed country Parties to the Convention to provide funding, through the GEF, to implement adaptation response measures in particularly vulnerable countries and regions, and especially in countries vulnerable to climate-related natural disasters; calls on the EU and ACP representatives in the GEF Council to ensure that this decision is fully implemented through the GEF project cycle;

14. Recommends that policies and programmes be developed and implemented to support the ACP countries in capacity-building, dissemination of information, training, and the development of targeted policies, so as to make the CDM more understandable and acceptable, thus facilitating the presentation of projects by ACP countries to the CDM;

15. Stresses that, although many priority areas in the "Barbados Programme of Action" are already present in the current Lomé Convention, some areas which are of great importance to small island states, coastal regions and landlocked countries which are vulnerable to climate change are lacking in the Convention, such as integrated coastal management and integrated approach on land use;

16. Considers Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) an evolutionary process that identifies and implements options to attain sustainable development and adaptation to climate change in coastal zones and small islands, and is of the opinion that the Lomé Convention should establish a framework for promoting ICZM in ACP island states and coastal areas;

17. Points out the need to strengthen systematic observational networks to identify the possible onset and distribution of climate change and assess potential impacts, particularly at regional level; consideration should be given to assisting ACP vulnerable states in their effort to develop monitoring and related climate and weather forecasting capacities;

18. Believes that disaster prevention and preparedness should form an integral part of development cooperation and considers it essential that this aspect is taken into account in the negotiations for a new ACP-EU Convention, as well as integrating it into national indicative programmes and individual projects;

19. Affirms in this context that there is a particular need for capacity-building for disaster planning and management and for the promotion and facilitation of the transfer of early-warning technologies to countries prone to disasters;

With regard to trade and economic cooperation

20. Emphasises the importance of recognising the special needs of small ACP island states which are physically and economically vulnerable to the effects of climate change, particular to natural disasters such as hurricanes and droughts, all of which affect their economic activities in such fields as agriculture, fisheries and tourism, upon which they are dependent as a result of their narrow resource base;

21. Calls on the European Union to give greater weight to the vulnerability factor in all development assistance vis-à-vis these countries exposed to such risks, taking into account the work in train by the Joint Commonwealth/World Bank Task-Force on Small States;

22. Calls also on the European Union to provide differential treatment in terms of preferential market access for the benefit of the vulnerable small and island states;

With regard to international arrangements

23. Believes that, given the increasing number of decision-making bodies concerned with various aspects of sustainable development, including international conventions, there is an ever greater need for better policy coordination at the intergovernmental level, as well as for continued and more concerted efforts to enhance collaboration among the secretariats of those decision-making bodies;

24. Urges governments to conclude and to implement the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, particularly in Africa;

25. Calls on the Commission to examine the modalities in which the Lomé Convention could be used to implement parts of the UNFCCC; in this context, recommends the establishment of a Task Force with representatives of the relevant Directorates-General. The task-force should:

- map out the structures, instruments and programmes within EU-ACP cooperation that could be applied to support the implementation of the commitments of the European Union, the EU Member States and the ACP countries under the UNFCCC, particularly with respect to transfer of technology and capacity-building. As focal areas of this study are proposed: renewable energy resources, adaptation to the effects of climate change and disaster-preparedness;

- prepare a Plan of Action, based on the analyses of the above-mentioned study, that will lead to: a) more knowledge about the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and related instruments among the actors involved in the programming and implementation of the instruments of the Lomé Convention and vice-versa, b) more coherence in the implementation of the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and Lomé Convention, in particular in the areas of renewable energy resources, adaptation to the effects of climate change and disaster-preparedness.

The task-force should report regularly to the ACP-EU Joint Assembly. An initial report should be presented 6 months after the adoption of this resolution and followed by annual reports on its progress and activities;

26. Calls on the ACP and EU to convoke, using existing mechanisms under the Lomé Convention (art. 41), a joint ministerial conference on the subject of climate change;

27. Calls on the EU and the United States for early unconditional ratification of the Kyoto protocol, and to commence immediate action to prepare for its prompt implementation through the adoption of strong policies and measures;

With regard to information sharing and access to technology

28. Firmly believes that the availability of scientific and technological information and access to, and transfer of, environmentally sound technologies are essential requirements for sustainable development;

29. Underlines the need, in order to assist national capacity building, to accelerating operationalisation of the Small Islands Developing States Information Network (SIDSnet) and Small Islands Developing States Technical Assistance Programme (SIDS/TAP), with support to existing regional and subregional institutions;

30. Considers that access to electronic networks provides a unique opportunity to mitigate several specific problems of SIDS such as remoteness, isolation and lack of infrastructure; in this sense, SIDSnet can be a most effective mechanism to facilitate the collection, synthesis and share of relevant information, knowledge and experience across regional boundaries and to promote a global agenda on issues relevant to small islands and to states which are vulnerable to climate change;

31. Calls on the Commission (DGVIII/C) to make available, for presentation on SIDSnet, information on the EU SIDS-related activities/programmes/projects;

32. Recommends that each SIDS or group of states in a region develop a plan for the implementation and managing of electronic networking for sustainable development and asks the Commission, in coordination with UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) to provide technical and financial support to this end;

With regard to public awareness

33. Is encouraged by the fact that the general level of public awareness of the problems associated with climate change has improved significantly since the Earth Summit in 1992, but regrets that this has yet to be translated into significant and effective action;

34. Calls on the governments of the signatory states to the Lomé Convention and the Commission to undertake to carry out public information and communication, which in the short run, promote acceptance of necessary initiatives and in the long run will ensure changes in life style, and thus support the necessary administrative and economic initiatives. Special attention must be paid to education in order to heighten people's awareness of, and responsibility for, the environmental consequences of energy production and usage;

35. Believes that, since climate change will impact on existing systems and activities, and adaptation is likely to be left to decision-makers whose everyday interests are in other areas than climate change, programmes should be implemented in ACP and EU countries to build awareness of the need to take climate change into consideration in deciding on weather sensitive activities in sectors such us water resources, agriculture, transport, power generation, urban planning, etc.;

36. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, the Commission, the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with the request that it be circulated to all non-EU contracting parties, and the Secretariat of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) of the United Nations.

(1) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Assembly on 1 April 1999 in Strasbourg (France).