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October 2009: Volume 2

NOTEWORTHY: SPECIAL FEATURE ON CLIMATE CHANGE

This special feature on climate change opens with news on the global climate change negotiations (on NOW in BANGKOK) before providing an update on the progress of three of our current climate change projects: the UN-REDD programme in Vietnam; climate change adaptation/improving food security in Lao PDR; and climate change mitigation through Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) technology in Malaysia.

The Road to Copenhagen: Global Climate Change Negotiations

Kyoto Protocol track (AWG-KP): The AWG-KP was established to discuss future commitments for industrialized countries under the Kyoto Protocol. The AWG-KP is set to agree on developed country emission reduction targets by 2009. At their third session in 2007, Parties to the Kyoto Protocol took note of the conclusions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC ) that greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction commitments between 25 and 40% below 1990 levels were needed on the part of industrialized countries for the period beyond 2012. This would limit a mean global temperature increase, with GHG emissions peaking within the next 10 to 15 years before going down. The AWG-KP addresses market mechanisms, national policies, accounting issues, the role of land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) as a means to achieve these targets.

UNFCCC track (AWG-LCA): The AWG-LGA was established under the Convention to lead a comprehensive process to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention through long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012. The AWG-LCA focuses on the four building blocks of: adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer and deployment, and financing. The AWG-LCA also considers Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) and mitigation actions and commitments from developed countries in order to reach an agreed outcome and adopt a decision by the end of 2009.

2009 is a crucial year in the international effort to address climate change. A series of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings are taking place throughout the year. The meetings culminate in an ambitious and effective international response to climate change, to be agreed at the United Nations Climate Change Conference CCOP 15) in Copenhagen on 7-18 December 2009.

Negotiation TRacks

The Climate change negotiations follow two tracks: 1). The Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) and 2) the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA).

UNFCCC Negotiations in Bangkok, 28^th of September till 9^th of October

The first round of negotiations this year took place in Bonn, 29 March-8 April. The second meeting took place in Bonn, 1-12 June. Informal consultations were held in Bonn, 10-14 August. Two further sessions will be held prior to Copenhagen: 28 September-9 October in Bangkok and 2-6 November in Barcelona.

The negotiations in Bangkok are being attended by more than 3,000 delegates and participants, government delegates, representatives from business and industry, environmental organisations and research institutions. The negotiations will see the AWG-KP and AWG-LCA produce a consolidated and shortened negotiating text under the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol. The Chairs of the AWG-KP and AWG-LCA will present summaries at the end of the meeting, also capturing the results of the Bonn informal consultations held in August. The international community agrees that without significant process in Bangkok, reaching an agreement in Copenhagen will be extremely difficult. With very little negotiating time remaining before Copenhagen, the meeting is highly significant.

Daily updates on the negotiations can be accessed at: http://www.iisd.ca/climate/ccwg7/

   

REDD in Vietnam

The United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD Programme) was officially launched in September 2008 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg. The UN-REDD Programme is a partnership between FAO, UNDP and UNEP. The Programme’s main aim is to contribute to the development of capacity for implementing REDD in a number of pilot countries and to support the international dialogue for the inclusion of a REDD mechanism in a post-2012 regime.  

The UN-REDD Programme in Asia-Pacific  has commenced in three pilot countries, namely Vietnam, Indonesia and PNG. Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Bangladesh have expressed interest in joining UN-REDD. Countries that are not UN-REDD pilots can join the “Community of Practice”, through which they can benefit from training, information exchange events, and other high-level events.  

The Vietnam UN-REDD Programme ($4.4m) is making rapid progress due to consistent efforts by the Department of Forestry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The programme seeks to address deforestation and forest degradation through capacity building at national and local levels. It aims to create financial incentives for Vietnam to preserve its forests and improve their management. Firstly, it will build capacity at the national level to implement a REDD programme. Secondly, it will build capacity at local levels (provincial, district and commune) through pilots in two districts in Lam Dong province that demonstrate effective approaches to forest conservation. Regional displacement of emissions is known to be a significant problem in the lower Mekong Basin. If REDD is to be implemented effectively within the Lower Mekong Basin, there will be a need for coordinated regional action. The third Programme outcome will mobilize efforts in this direction.  

The Vietnam REDD Project was approved by the Prime Minister on 21 July 2009 and signed by the Mister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on August 27^th. FAO, UNDP and UNEP signed the project document in the following week. Consultant recruitment has begun and activities for Output 1 are commencing. A National REDD Network has been initiated and is expected to be formalized through a decision of the Minister of MARD imminently.  A team of experts is also being brought together to analyze the needs and constraints to the creation of a REDD-compliant payment distribution system for Viet Nam.  Their analyses and recommendations for action are expected to be presented to the government in time for CoP15.

The UN-REDD Inception Workshop for Vietnam occured in September, please see the Events section of this newsletter for more information. 

More information can be found at the UN-REDD web site: http://www.un-redd.org  

 

Climate adaptation and food security in Lao PDR

With the Mekong as their lifeblood, agriculture and forestry are the backbone of the Lao PDR economy. These industries alone are responsible for employing 80 per cent of the labour force and producing approximately 40% of the national GDP. 

Over the course of this century, the IPCC (2007) predicts that climate change will cause an increase in the number of droughts and floods along the Mekong , due to significant changes in rainfall reliability and intensity.  Lao PDR’s reliance on primary industries makes it particularly sensitive to such changes and also makes the already prominent issue of food security in Laos even more of a priority. 

With the support of UNDP, the Government of Lao PDR is in the initial stages of developing an LDCF-funded climate change adaptation project to safeguard food security by adapting agricultural and land-use practices. With a particular view on flood and drought risk reduction, the project will:

• Strengthen national knowledge on climate change and its impacts on agricultural production and food security;
• Enhance the capacity of agricultural producers and sector planners to understand and address climate change risks and opportunities;
• Demonstrate and promote the diversification and adaptation of existing agricultural practices.

The preparation of this project is commencing as little as 3 months after the country submitted its National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Lao PDR’s Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) will provide overall leadership for the project. The initiative will facilitate collaboration between a number of national and regional research, development and donor agencies, including; NAFRI, NDMO, NAFES, ADB, AusAID, World Bank and MRC.

For more information please contact Gernot Laganda (UNDP-RCB, gernot.laganda@undp.org)

 

Photovoltaic Technology in Malaysia

Since its launch by the Government of Malaysia in July 2005, UNDP has been supporting the Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MBIPV) project. MBIPV is a national project that was included in the 9th Malaysia Plan and is co-financed by GEF, the Malaysian government and the private sector. Its main goal is the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the power sector and the reduction of the long-term cost of PV technology, particularly Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) technology. The project has catalyzed the PV local market, thus contributing towards energy supply security and offsetting a percentage of the conventional peak energy requirement.

The MBIPV project is targeted for completion by end 2010. Thus far, the project has already realized about 48% of the target direct CO2 emission reductions (1,168 tons by end 2010). Furthermore, it has already exceeded its target capacity of installed BIPV systems (468 kWp by end 2010). There are now 1,065 kWp that were either technically assisted, or directly installed, by the project. More importantly, the project has facilitated a 16% reduction in the cost of BIPV systems. The target is 20% reduction (from RM 31,410/kWp to RM 25,128/kWp by end 2010). A major offshoot of the project was the launching of the National SURIA 1000 Programme in November 2006, Malaysia’s pioneering financial incentive scheme for solar energy. The SURIA 1000 Programme provides attractive financial discounts for home owners wanting to install photovoltaic (PV) in their homes. The goal of Suria 1000 is to allow anyone in Malaysia to have their own BIPV system in their house, to generate their own electricity and get it grid connected.

Among the tangible outputs of the project is the PusatTenaga Malaysia Green Energy Office (PTM GEO) Building, which uses BIPV technology and showcases sustainable and green building design. The design of the building incorporates energy efficiency from passive techniques, orientation and vegetation, to active features i.e. highly efficient lighting systems, floor slab cooling, double-glazed windows, a thermal wall at its east and west facing facades, etc. The building has the ability to be self sufficient with power generated from the installed BIPV systems. This building utilizes energy by an average amount less than 50 kWh/m2/year.

The MBIPV project has the following outcomes:

• Improved understanding about BIPV technology as a cost-effective decentralized power generation application – This is achieved by addressing local capacity building and training needs on solar PV-based power generation systems, awareness-raising among the policy makers and the public, industry competency and quality, and regional/international cooperation.
• Developed local BIPV local market – This is realized through showcases and demonstrations of the BIPV technology applications.
• Established enabling environments – This is accomplished through technical assistance in the development and facilitation of suitable financing mechanisms, RE pricing policy and development of RE tariff, and formulation of a national BIPV programme for 10th Malaysia Plan.
• Fully supported local BIPV industry – This is reached through activities intended to strengthen the local PV industry and creating new business opportunities.

For more information please contact Manuel Soriano (UNDP-RCB, manuel.soriano@undp.org).