belgrade initiative on climate change as a mechanism for wider national and see climate change...
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Belgrade Initiative on Climate Change as a mechanism for wider national and SEE climate change policy framework
development
Milan Dacic, Director Republic Hydrometerological Service of Serbia
Danica Spasova, Director Adviser, Republic Hydrometerological Service of Serbia
Workshop on “Facilitation of climate policy in CEE and Turkey for the post 2012 period”
Budapest, Hungary 13-14 March 2008
REPUBLIC HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICE OF SERBIA
General
The Belgrade Initiative for enhancement of the Sub-regional (Western Balkan) SEE cooperation in the field of climate change launched by the host country Serbia in 2006, received full support of the UNECE Sixth Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe”, which was held in Belgrade, Serbia, on October 10-12, 2007.
Within the Initiative it is planned to develop a SEE Climate Change Framework Action Plan (SEE/CCFAP) in accordance with the principles and objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In particular, this relates to Research and Systematic Observation, Education, Training, Public Awareness and Capacity Building. The Belgrade Initiative also provides for the establishment of a Sub-regional Virtual Climate Change related Centre in Belgrade as a means of improving sub-regional cooperation, which would also facilitate and coordinate implementation of the SEE/CCFAP.
Objectives The Belgrade Initiative general objective is to support a sustainable economy development
end environment in the interested SEE countries through attempts to reduce vulnerability to climate change and adaptation, effective implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol, and the establishment of the SEE network for climate change research.
Sub-regional cooperation within this Initiative will contribute to the following: • Enhanced capacity for vulnerability and adaptation assessment;• Enhanced development, dissemination and employment of knowledge from practical
adaptation activities and other climate change issues; • Enhanced integration of actions to adapt to climate change with those of sustainable
development; • Improved information and advice to national negotiators participating in UNFCCC and
Kyoto Protocol negotiating processes; • Enhanced cooperation among SEE countries, relevant organization, civil society, and
decision makers, and • Strengthening of partnership with relevant international organizations, conventions and
protocols.
This initiative is seen as a main driver for closer cooperation among interested SEE countries, international organizations and institutions in addressing sub-regional common priority problems in the field of climate change.
Rationale for launching Belgrade Initiative on Climate Change
In the last two decades it became all the more evident that climate change have signficant impacts on economy and population in numerous regions including the region of Southeastern Europe (SEE).
In addition to the registered changes in the thermal and precipitation regime, in many regions of the world changes in the intensity and frequency of the occurrence of climate extremes were registered.
Climate variability and extremes are already a major obstacle to development in many regions including SEE
Extreme
Weather
Conditions 2007
Exceptional Drought in July and August 2007 inSerbia accompanied by the longest registered wave of extremely high air temperature (~ 450C): Losses in agriculture cc. 0.5bn US$
Case and effect of floods, hail and strong windSerbia 2005, 2006
IPCC Forth Assessment Report: Impact Vulnerability and Adaptation (AR4,2007)
• In accordance with IPCC AR4 “In Southern Europe, climate change is projected to worsen conditions (high temperatures and drought) in a region already vulnerable to climate variability, and to reduce water availability, hydropower potential, summer tourism, and in general, crop productivity. It is also projected to increase health risks due to heat waves and the frequency of wildfires”,
• The risks associated with a changing and more variable climate are increasing resulting in both economic losses and loss of human life.
Limitations and needs to deal with climate change
• All SEE countries face problems with responding to the obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;
• Developing countries in terms of the UNFCCC, including Serbia have a twofold problem. They are faced with growing damage caused by meteorological, hydrological and climate extremes and catastrophes, and on the other hand, they have to cope with poverty and necessity for development.
• In addition, the SEE countries have limited access to knowledge, technology and financing, and have a great need of capacity building and development (systemic, institutional and individual), that has to be coupled with the requirements of the Stabilisation and Association process to the EU.
• This is a key reason for launching the Belgrade Initiative on climate change that is expected to provide region-driven climate change framework action in SEE and establishment of an adequate research-to-policy interface.
Belgrade Initiative - Common SEE problems and priorities in addressing
climate change Under Belgrade Initiative, the following common priorities have been
identified:• (a) Improvement of collection, management, exchange, access to,
and use of the observational data and other relevant information on current and historical climate and its impacts to SEE;
• (b) Enhancement of the capacity to supply and use the data, especially at regional and national levels and exchange information on the impact of observed climate change;
• (c) Promotion of the understanding of the impacts of climate change and vulnerability to climate change;
• (d) Promotion of the development/application of climate models, access to and use of information and data on projected climate change for SEE;
• (e) Promoting the use of information on the socio-economic aspects of climate change and improving the integration of socio-economic information into impact and vulnerability studies;
Belgrade Initiative-Common SEE problemes and priorities in addressing
climate change-cont.• (f) Dissemination of information on practical adaptation actions and measures;• (g) Facilitating communication and cooperation among the SEE countries and
relevant organisations, business, civil society, decision makers, and other stakeholders;
• (h) Promotion of climate change research, development and transfer of technologies, know-how and practices;
• (i) Promotion of the understanding, development and dissemination of measures, methodologies and tools aimed at increasing economic resilience and reducing reliance on vulnerable economic sectors;
• (j) Modernisation of meteorological, climatological and hydrological services in the SEE countries (e.g. Strengthening of the NMHSs in the Southeast Europe: Meteorological and Hydrological Information sharing – Status, Needs, Capacity Building, World Meteorological Organization);
• (k) Development and implementation of sub-regional and bilateral programmes for research, education and training and other forms of capacity building under the existing international framework and the development of regional partnerships proposed by this Initiative (SEE/CCFAP).
Sub-regional virtual climate change centre in Belgrade which will which will facilitate and coordinate implementation of the SEE/CCFAP.facilitate and coordinate implementation of the SEE/CCFAP.
The Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, as a government authority hosting the centre, contributes in-kind to the virtual centre with its available human resources, expertise in regional climate modeling (ClimEta,PRECIS) communication, computational and technical infrastructure resources, including offices with the necessary office equipment.
Existing collaboration:
Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea – Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia and University of Belgrade - SINTA Project
Japan-Serbian Center for simulation Sciences – Earth Simulator – NEC super computers
KEY ISSUES IN POST-2012 PERIOD
ADAPTATION – A Need for coordinated Sub-regional approach
• There is need to support both facilitation and implementation of adaptation activity in terms of integrating across scales, from local to national and sub-regional.
• This will require improvements in knowledge and expertise, institutional strength, good governance, transparency and stakeholders involvement, supportive government of interested countries, and and financial resources for effective and efficient adaptation activities.
• To facilitate this activities Belgrade Initiative propose to develop SEE/ CCFAP based on UNFCCC Nairobi Five-year programme of work on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change.
• Adaptation to the unavoidable impacts of climate change needs to be addressed as a priority within the negotiations on a post-2012 agreement, especially to enhance the support for adaptation action and capacity building in Non-Annex I (developing) countries that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
KEY ISSUES IN POST-2012 PERIOD cntd.
Building on the flexible mechanisms
As outlined in the “Investment and Financial Flows” paper produced by the UNFCCC Secretariat, the carbon market can be an important driver in delivering finance and incentives for technology innovation, development, deployment, and transfer. Therefore we believe that the expansion of the carbon market in the post-2012 period, including through enhanced existing flexible mechanisms such as CDM, JI and emission trading, is a crucial element for any future climate regime.
Particularly we would like to underline the importance of a continuing role of projects under the CDM beyond 2012 and the improvements (including regionally hosted CDM programs) in their environmental integrity, efficiency, contribution to technology transfer and sustainable development, and regional distribution.
Thank you for your attention