Speech: Ministerial meeting, Kyoto Protocol

Honorable ministers, ladies and gentlemen.

I look forward to two days of ministerial dialogue at this important time in the negotiations.

We need to increase political momentum towards a strong Paris-agreement.

As ministers we should give our negotiators the necessary guidance.

The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Climate Summit also creates a possibility for stronger political engagement. It will be up to us how we use that opportunity.

• Norway has taken on new commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.
• Norway supported the mandate of a new climate agreement under the Convention “applicable to all”, to be in effect from 2020.

Developed countries need to take the lead. This is why Norway took on new commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, as one of few countries.  Too few.

Norway’s commitment of 84 per cent is consistent with a 30 per cent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, compared to 1990.

Norway has started the implementation of our commitments and other responsibilities as was agreed in Doha.

We are also happy to announce that we have sent our instrument of acceptance to the Doha-amendment.

We encourage all other Parties to the Kyoto Protocol to advance their ratification process rapidly. 144 Parties must deliver their instruments of acceptance for the protocol to enter into force.

I look forward to hear how other Parties prepare their ratification.

Norway will move to 40 per cent reduction in 2020 if it can contribute to a global climate agreement where large emitters take on commitments in line with the two degree target.

These conditions are not met yet.

Norway will consider whether these conditions will be met as we now negotiate a new climate agreement.

Norway has always been a firm supporter of the Kyoto Protocol. But the second commitment period only includes quantified commitments for Parties representing 10-15 per cent of global emissions.

This is not the answer to our common challenge. 

Regardless, the Kyoto protocol has created a lot of environmentally sound systems.

That includes systems for measurement, reporting and verification, and flexible approaches.

The Clean Development Mechanism is an example on how cooperation can create greater ambition. Norway’s commitments would not have been as ambitious if it wasn’t for the flexible mechanism. We should build on such systems, but also work to improve them when we now work towards a new agreement.

In the first commitment period, Norway overachieved our commitment with 10 per cent. This was secured through our government procurement program.

We need to build on these strengths of the Kyoto protocol, as we now build a new agreement:

• to secure maximum ambition
• and secure environmental integrity

We also need to learn from weaknesses of the Kyoto Protocol.

In order to tackle climate change we need broad participation.

The necessary ambition can only be achieved if all Parties take part. A discussion on ambition will only make sense in such a context.

The participation and ambition level we have seen is not sufficient. We must focus on increasing our collective action.

Many Parties have not yet come forward with mitigation pledges for the period up to 2020. We still lack clarity on basic conditions for the pledges under the Cancun Agreements.

We need to enable more countries to set emission reduction targets for 2020.

There are also many international cooperations that could create opportunities for pre-2020 ambition. We should discuss how we can make progress in these areas.

As countries, we are different. But we share a vision of a climate safe world with development for all. Green growth possibilities should overcome challenges. To unlock green growt possibilities we need a strong international agreement and a global price on carbon. Norway strongly supports the international efforts to promote a price on carbon!

As Parties to the UN Climate Convention we need common assurance that we all will contribute. This is how we can ensure the necessary global response to climate change.

I hope this meeting will contribute to such assurance – from all Parties.