COP18 Chairman: Doha Conference Represents Historic Transformation

Doha, December 04 (QNA) - HE Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Chairman of the 18th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, has said that this ongoing UN conference in Doha and its subsequent negotiations in the next year represent a historic transformation since they complement an important stage of strengthening the climate change regime that began in Bali in 2007. Addressing the opening session of the high-level meetings of 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-18) 2012, HE Al Attiyah said long and arduous negotiations lasting five years have passed. But from next year we will act according to what was agreed upon and will begin a new phase in preparation for beyond 2020. The Chairman of the 18th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change said that his mission will focus on working with the member states of the Conference and with the Secretariat to ensure a balanced work and a bright future. "We start from where negotiators stop to reach a balanced package of decisions that will ensure a smooth transition from the negotiations to the implementation stage. The package of decisions will include the Kyoto Protocol and agreement as well as the future arrangements after 2020." He added: "I'm counting on all of you to cooperate and accommodate each other in order to facilitate a satisfactory and comprehensive outcome and move forward to achieve our ambitions within the framework of the Convention." HE Al Attiyah said the issue of climate change issue nowadays is considered as one of the most pressing challenges that the international community must deal with, and that it is important " we all make our best to reach a cooperative and constructive negotiations.", he said He believed that this issue has many dimensions and affects all activities of daily life, including sports activities, pointing out in this regard that the relationship between sport and the environment and climate change interrelated and evolving as evident features the importance of this relationship since 2004, when the International Olympic Committee had adopted the environment as a third dimension besides sport and culture. He explained that the development of this relationship through several issues most important to deal with the lack of natural water resources through the use of water recycling technology as well as a study to add this technology to public facilities. HE Al Attiyah said that everyone understands the role of the Kyoto Protocol in the context of mitigation efforts by the parties included in Annex I, and the importance of ensuring the continuity of mitigation actions taken by those parties. He stressed the need for supporting the Ad Hoc Working Group efforts on these commitments and implement the decisions adopted at the Conference of the Parties working in the Kyoto Protocol previous session . He also said that " therefore we put our priorities to adopt this amendment on its set time," adding that he is working hard to achieve an agreement that satisfies all parties to the start of the second commitment period scheduled for first of January 2013 . HE called in this regard for cooperation and providing flexibility and support to ensure that this objective is achieved. He stressed the importance of working in an open and transparent manner to facilitate access to "agreed outcome", stressing his commitment to achieving this goal to ensure an end to the discussions within the framework of the path Convention successfully, so that the implementation of a package of decisions taken in the framework of this path for the period from now until 2020 would start. HE Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah called on member states to help end this phase of negotiations smoothly, noting that a successful end to the negotiations in the working groups on the Kyoto Protocol and the convention will increase the prospect of reaching an applicable agreement after 2020 and will encourage parties to take more ambitious measures to achieve the objective of the convention. He urged taking advantage of the success of the Doha Work Program on Article 6 of the Convention and the positive feedback on the forum of response measures, in order to continue toward achieving the objectives of combating climate change in an effective way. At the beginning of his speech, HE Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah thanked HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani for the trust His Highness had in him by nominating him as president of the eighteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 8). Al Attiyah also thanked negotiators for their efforts over the past days and the progress they made, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations, civil society and media and all who contributed to the event for their keenness on work and interests of the peoples. (QNA)