Attiyah Heads Plenary Session as Part of Climate Change Conference D

oha, November 28 (QNA) - A plenary session was held within the framework of the United Nations 18th Conference on Climate Change under the chairmanship of HE the President of the Conference Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah in the presence of delegations of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. During the meeting, the delegates listened to the annual report on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), a report of the Adaptation Fund and a report of the Joint Implementation Committee (three mechanisms in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol). The three reports contained achievements accomplished over a full year, projects that have been implemented and the challenges facing these three mechanisms within the framework of the protocol. Developing countries welcomed what has been accomplished within the framework of these mechanisms, but they expressed concern over the low incomes of the Adaptation Fund and the Clean Development Mechanism and demanded the expansion of the scope of work in the coming period. They called for the strengthening of the three mechanisms during the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, particularly with regard to the prices of carbon and for the increase of the Adaptation Fund revenues to be able to finance development projects and strategies in developing countries. The developing countries warned against any violation of the Kyoto Protocol, especially with regard to support for poor countries to cope with the impacts of climate change which would seriously damage the lives of millions of people. The Clean Development Mechanism was established in 1997 under the Kyoto Protocol to encourage cooperation between developed and developing countries through endeavours by developed countries to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, while helping developing countries achieve the goals of sustainable development and contributing to the goals of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Adaptation Fund was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The Adaptation Fund is financed from the share of proceeds on the clean development mechanism project activities and other sources of funding. The share of proceeds amounts to 2% of certified emission reductions (CERs) issued for a CDM project activity. The Adaptation Fund is supervised and managed by the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB). The AFB is composed of 16 members and 16 alternates and meets at least twice a year .(QNA)