Lao Voices

Apparently, we agreed that cow farts are not a major contributing factor to global warming, but the issue of climate change is looming in the air. According to VOA News, more than 150 nations and 80 heads of state and governments attended an unprecedented summit on climate change at the United Nations headquarters in New York last week, making it the highest-level meeting on climate change the UN has ever hosted.

Representing Laos at the summit was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith, who expressed concern and the need to limit greenhouse gas emissions as the scientific comprehension of the dangers posed by climate change becomes more concrete. Read the rest of article here.

What I find interesting was the presentation made by Mr. Sisoulith on behalf of the Lao Government, addressing the UN conference on climate change, below was the transcript of his presentation.

Mr. chairman,

Head of States and Governments,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Government of the Lao PDR, I wish to express our cordial congratulations on your election. We trust our work is in good hands. Our sincere appreciation also goes to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for taking the lead in this process which is aimed at addressing the issue of Climate Change as a global challenge.

My delegation would like to associate ourselves with the statement made by Pakistan on behalf of Group of 77, and China and highlight some following points on this defining issue.

Mr. Chairman,

As many other previous speakers have stated, based on the reports of the IPCC, the need to limit greenhouse gas emissions becomes ever more urgent as the scientific comprehension of the dangers posed by climate change becomes more concrete. Unlike most calamities, global warming reigns supreme in its potential to jeopardize not only the livelihood of ever being on the planet but also the course of human history. Climate change will become all the more worrisome, as it leads to many other social and economic problems that our world faces today.

The Lao PDR sees the assessment of the IPCC as a serious warning for the international community to act and to act now. In this regard, all Member States must reaffirm their commitment to the UNFCCC by doubling their efforts to mitigate the effects of this colossal impediment to sustainable development. However, the implementation of Convention should be based on the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.” It is recognized that while all countries have an interest in controlling climate change, the developed world should lead the way by taking immediate domestic actions in reducing harmful gas emissions.

Adaptation to climate change is crucial for LDCS and SIDS. Yet, they find it difficult to afford that, due to their limited financial and technical capacities, high rates of poverty and dire records of socio-economic development. Therefore, both financial and technical assistance should be forthcoming from the international community, particularly donors, in building their adaptive capacity and acquiring appropriate technologies on concessional terms.

Given our status as a Least Developed Country and our fledgling industrial sector, the Lao PDR emits a relatively negligible amount of greenhouse gases. In support of the UNFCCC, the Lao PDR is playing its part to contribute to the battle against climate change, particularly in the area of forestry development and conservation. Over the past years the forestry area in the Lao PDR has reached 11.2 million hectares in 2005, while wood exploitation has declined by 50%. The practice of shifting cultivation which has contributed to global warming declined from 118,900 hectares in 2001 to 29,400 hectares in 2005. The Lao PDR also maintains 20 internationally recognized National Protected Areas consisting of large tracts of tropical monsoon forest and diverse wildlife populations that cover almost 3.4 million hectares or more than 14 percent of the country. Currently, the Lao Government focuses on the implementation of the Forestry Strategy by the Year 2020, the National Strategy on Environment by the Year 2020 and the Action Plan for the Years 2006-2010 which is expected to establish 500,000 hectares of new tree plantations (2000-2020). These strategies and plan are aiming an end to slash-and-burn cultivation by 2010 and reducing carbon dioxide emissions from all sources as well as the consumption of ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons.

In closing, I believe that this important event will send a strong signal for the successful UNFCCC negotiations to take place in Bali Indonesia in December this year. However new initiatives and approaches should be within the framework of the United Nations and maintain the commitments made under the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol, undertaken at the Rio and Johannesburg Conferences including Agenda 21. We also stress the need for all member states that have not done so to ratify and implement the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol.

As far as the Lao PDR is concerned, we will continue to support measures that are in line with the UNFCCC. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a global effort in reducing gas emissions. Despite differences in capability, it is incumbent upon all of us to act against this common threat to human prosperity.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.