…As OPEC’s 21st Coordination Meeting on Climate Change Opens
Climate finance and the process for setting a new collective quantified goal is key for energy-producing developing countries to meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Secretary-General of OPEC HE Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo has said.
He made the assertion in an opening remark today, of the 21st Coordination Meeting on Climate change in Vienna, Austria, Valuechain reports.
Ninety-five delegates from 19 OPEC and non-OPEC countries participating in the Declaration of Cooperation were in attendance, along with a number of international organizations.
Speaking via videoconference, Barkindo noted that “in order for our countries to develop and for just transition to occur, we need to have the opportunity to develop our energy resources in as clean a way possible. This requires international cooperation and partnership and the provision of sufficient finance, along with technology research and transfer”.
According to him, “this will have the additional effect of supporting oil market stability and in turn, the world economy, which is still recovering from the Pandemic”.
The OPEC scribe also pointed out that “developing countries in particular are struggling more than ever with energy security in the face of the pandemic, in addition to climate change adaptation measures. Therefore, it is essential that we leverage this platform to enhance collaboration and cooperation on these issues”.
Barkindo further recalled that he had been involved with climate change talks since their inception in 1991 and for several years thereafter, as a member of the Bureau, the highest UNFCCC body, stressing that he had also served as Vice-President of the COP, including COP15 in Copenhagen, COP14 in Poland, COP13 in Bali and COP6 in Bonn.
“I led technical delegations from my home country in Nigeria many times over these years, and participated in the Intergovernmental Negotiating
Committee (INC), which led to the adoption of the UNFCCC. I am the only Nigerian delegate to attend all COPs from COP1 in Berlin to COP15. I have also attended all the COPs that have taken place over my tenure as Secretary General at OPEC and made statements on behalf of our oil-producing exporting countries at the high-level segment of the COP. As you can see, climate negotiations are in my blood”, the outgoing OPEC scribe said.
Below is full text of the remarks:
Distinguished colleagues and guests:
Welcome back again, to those of you who were in attendance yesterday for our 5th Technical Workshop on Climate Change. Today’s meeting, the 21st session of the Coordination Meeting on Climate Change, will follow up yesterday’s discussions, while also focussing on the latest developments in UN climate change negotiation processes.
First, I want to thank each and every one of you for the work we have done together on this very important topic over my years as Secretary General. It is with great nostalgia that I inform you this will be the last meeting I will host, as my tenure ends this summer.
The UNFCCC talks are very close to my heart, and I have spent almost all my working life in this process. I have been involved with climate change talks since their inception in 1991 and for several
years thereafter, as a member of the Bureau, the highest UNFCCC body. I have also served as Vice-President of the COP, including COP15 in Copenhagen, COP14 in Poland, COP13 in Bali and COP6 in Bonn.
I led technical delegations from my home country in Nigeria many times over these years, and participated in the Intergovernmental Negotiating
Committee (INC), which led to the adoption of the UNFCCC. I am the only Nigerian delegate to attend
all COPs from COP1 in Berlin to COP15. I have also attended all the COPs that have taken place over my tenure as Secretary General at OPEC and made statements on behalf of our oil-producing exporting countries at the high-level segment of the
COP. As you can see, climate negotiations are in my blood.
Thus, you can be sure that even though I am leaving you, I will remain involved in the UNFCCC talks because it is so important. All of your input, debate and personal involvement have made an impact my friends. We have come very far in defending developing country interests, especially within the intense Paris Agreement negotiations. We have
proven how much can be achieved through collaboration and speaking with a common voice.
I urge you to continue to work together as a team, and build on this friendship and cooperation. Many very important issues are still being decided and the road is still long.
I have had the chance to meet the COP27 and COP28 presidencies, which will be held variously in Egypt and then OPEC Member Country UAE.
This is a perfect opportunity for CoC members to be proactively involved.
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
As we can see from yesterday’s talks, we still need to enhance mitigation and adaptation actions, which will constitute a further burden on developing countries. It is important to reiterate that we will need enough support to meet the actions laid out in our NDCs, which will be scrutinized during the first global stocktake. It has
become clear that the world is not doing enough to reach the Paris Agreement temperature goal and we will all have to enhance our NDCs, including developing countries.
However, developing countries in particular are struggling more than ever with energy security in the face of the pandemic, in addition to climate change adaptation measures. Therefore, it is essential that we leverage this platform to enhance collaboration and cooperation on these issues.
We need to continue to fight for energy security in a sustainable and just manner, apart from the climate change challenges. Eradicating energy poverty must remain at the top of our agenda.
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
The upcoming UNFCCC negotiations in Bonn from 6-16 June will build towards discussions at COP27. Today, we will discuss the latest negotiation processes in the run-up to this session.
Recent scientific evidence from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment is expected to strongly influence negotiations, and provide guidance and
impulse of future energy and climate policies. Thus it is critical to participate in the approval session for the IPCC synthesis report in September of this year.
I want to remind you that UN Secretary General António Guterres called the IPCC report released a year ago a “red code for humanity”, and when the latest report on adaptation and vulnerability was released this February, he said that it is “an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership…”
These strong words have served to profoundly drive forward discussion and policy actions on climate change. We are concerned that hasty and impulsive decisions could lead to a disorderly energy transition, which would see energy exporting developing countries lose out again. They stand to be substantially affected by the guidance in these documents.
As the IPCC reports are sure to be cited in deliberations, Parties have to be clear on their stand. Thus, we are also holding a presentation on this subject and will come up with common positions at the end of this meeting that you can take with you into negotiations.
Climate finance and the process for setting a new collective quantified goal is key for energy-producing developing countries to meet their NDCs. We will also shed some light on this topic today.
In order for our countries to develop and for just transition to occur, we need to have the opportunity to develop our energy resources in as clean a way possible. This requires international cooperation and partnership and the provision of sufficient finance, along with technology research and transfer.
This will have the additional effect of supporting oil market stability and in turn the world economy, which is still recovering from the pandemic. We have seen lately that when countries experience energy stress, they will grasp at
whatever energy sources are available, at the cost of higher greenhouse gas emissions. In the end, affordable, clean energy for all is necessary for both the realisation of the SDGs AND to achieve the Paris Agreement goal. It will require the contribution of all forms of energy, with technology supporting their most efficient possible production and use.
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
We want to see a just and inclusive transition occur. One that builds resilient, equitable and sustainable societies. In order for this to happen, universal access to reliable and affordable modern energy sources and energy stability are requirements.
Our work over more than five years through the Declaration of Cooperation has this goal in mind.
Despite tremendous odds over the last six years, and naysayers who thought we would fail, we have managed to maintain a steady course through the downturn in 2014 – 2016, through the pandemic and now in the face of geopolitical turmoil.
However, we must always be aware of how gathering powerful external influences affect our industry. This includes climate change talks and resulting pull-back of investment by major banks and other investors.
We have set an example through the DoC and our negotiations under the UNFCCC of the power of multilateralism and international cooperation, and the world has taken increasing notice. I hand
the torch to you now to continue to build on our good work. Know that you are in my heart and mind as you do so.
Thank-you