Climate Change Resilience
Palau, the third Pacific island to ratify the Doha Amendment. Image courtesy of Ms. Diane McFadzien
3 December 2014, Peru, Lima - Palau is the third Pacific island to ratify the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, the Doha Amendment. The first two being the Federated States of Micronesia and the Solomon Islands.
"Palau firmly believes in walking the talk, we are here at the International climate change conference these two weeks, asking the rest of the world to commit to lowering their greenhouse gas emissions and sign up," said Ambassador Otto, the United Nations Permanent Representative for Palau.
"We must continue to lead by example and are pleased to have announced that we have taken steps to ratify the Doha Amendment."
Ambassador Caleb Otto, United Nations Permanent Representative for Palau, Head of the Palau Delegation at COP20 in Lima, Peru
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.
The goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce worldwide greenhouse gas emissions to 5.2 percent below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.
In Doha, Qatar in 2012 the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was adopted which includes new commitments in a second period from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2020 as well as a revised list of greenhouse gases to be reported on by parties.
The Doha Amendment will enter into force 90 days after 144 parties have submitted 'instruments of acceptance'. As of 19 November this year 19 parties had done so, the Federated States of Micronesia ratified in February this year and the Solomon Islands did so in September this year. Palau is the newest Pacific island to do so.
"The bottom line for us was if not the Doha Agreement, then what is the alternative? Back home, we are aware that we are not a major contributor to this huge problem of climate change, but we also understand that we have to play our part as a party to the Climate Change Convention to help lower the levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere," stated Ms. Charlene Mersai, of the Office of the Environmental Response and Coordination in Palau.
"Furthermore, as long as we continue to feel the negative impacts of climate change, how can we sit back and do nothing, while we wait for others to solve this problem or to save us? We just can’t do that.”
Ms. Mersai, along with staff from the President’s Office worked through the process for ratifying the Doha Amendment at the national level, ensuring that there was sufficient consultation and explanation to the key stakeholders, particularly those in the Palau National Congress.
Starting from the very beginning she sought feedback from the Pacific, obtaining a copy from FSM of their instrument of acceptance. From there she ensured that lawyers, congressmen and chairs of relevant committees as well as had one on one meetings to ensure they were consulted and well informed.
Ms. Charlene Mersai, Office of the Environmental Response and Coordination in Palau at the Pacific booth at COP20 in Lima
"I believe that the fact that our President also convened a meeting with members of congress to share his views on the Doha Amendment, along with other national issues, including the National Marine Sanctuary, that require their support, also helped to secure their support. The Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol passed the House of Delegates on November 17th, 2014 and passed the Senate unanimously the following day."
There are currently five from Palau, with a sixth member, Senator Mason Whipps arriving next week, on the delegation at the 20th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Lima, Peru.
Led by Ambassador Otto, the key issues for the island nation span three general areas - climate change mitigation, climate finance and climate change adaptation as well as loss and damage from slow-onset events and which cannot be addressed through adaptation efforts and activities. Other members of the delegation include Mr. Xavier Erbai Matsutaro, Mr. Joe Aitaro and Mr Nicholas Kloulubak.
The 20th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Framework on Climate Change is hosted in Lima, Peru from 1 - 12 December, 2014.