Declaration of ecology public organizations of Tajikistan on climate change issues

DECLARATION

of ecology public organizations of Tajikistan on climate change issues

We, the representatives of ecology public organizations of Tajikistan:

·    supporting desire of international community to find a general view of climate change problems and willingness to sign a new International agreement on further joint activities on climate change control and reduction of greenhouse gases emission in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009;

·         supporting a stand of several countries, and that of largest ecology organizations regarding the necessity to keep global warming at 2 ^oС level and reduce global emission of greenhouse gases at 80% by 2050 as compared to the level effective in 1990.

·     supporting activities of the Government of Tajikistan related with climate change problem, including signing the UN Framework Convention on climate change (1998), joining to Kyoto protocol (2008) and elaboration of National Program on alleviation of climate change consequences (2003);

·        noting that Tajikistan already experiences considerable negative consequences of global climate change such as glacier ablation, increase in frequency of droughts, more intensive disasters and change of ecosystems, which threaten the long term socio-economic development of the republic;

·      calling the Government to make all the necessary efforts for achieving more essential and specific results under the Strategy of emission reduction and Strategy of adaptation of National Program on alleviation of climate change consequences;

·        expressing the willingness to develop further cooperation with state organizations responding for decision making regarding climate change problem and participate more actively in implementation of programs on awareness increase, alleviation of consequences and adaptation to climatic changes including the projects under clear development Mechanism;

we declare that: 

regarding a climatic policy 

·        Tajikistan equally with other developing countries is able to contribute in reduction of greenhouse gases emission. Tajikistan as a country signed the UN Framework Convention on climate change and Kyoto protocol, should take further specific measures for climate change control, thus demonstrating its commitment to the objective of global strategy – prevention of further warming and reduction of greenhouse gases emission by 80% by 2050 as compared to the level effective in 1990.

• The government of Tajikistan should determine and state more clear position regarding climate change and more actively make a stand for it during international negotiations. Its stand should support the necessity to keep global warming at 2^oС, to reduce the level of СО₂ in atmosphere down to 350 ppm and the global emission of greenhouse gases by 80% by 2050 as compared to the level effective in 1990, and admitting that actions taken by only developed countries will be insufficient for preventing negative consequences of climate change. Its position should include willingness of Tajikistan to take further measures for emission reduction and adaptation by partial financing and technical support provided by developed countries.  

·       National Program on alleviation of climate change consequences (2003) elaborated and approved by the Government of the republic should be accompanied by specific measures in relevant sectors of economy, increasing energy efficiency, developing renewable sources of energy (RSE) and reduction use of fossil type fuels;  

·        Increasing energy efficiency in housing and communal services, industry, agriculture and adoption of RSE should be first-priority area in project implementation under the Clear Development Mechanism (CDM).

·        It is necessary to achieve a harmony of key government strategy and programs, and consistency in activities of various sectors and departments, particularly in environmental protection, energy, transport, agriculture and construction fields, taking into an account the problems of climate change. It will enable to eliminate current conflicts, mobilize resources and will facilitate for their more effective distribution;  

·      Programs and actions on prevention of climate change and adaptation should be integrated into programs of socio-economic development. Each ministry and department should appropriately assign a certain employee who will be responsible for coordination of this area; 

Regarding a strategy of adaptation to climate change: 

·         A new National Adaptation Plan (NAP) with a priority of needs of the most vulnerable and poorest strata of population should be elaborated in Tajikistan. Actions on reducing the population vulnerability to climate change should included in Poverty Reduction Strategy Acts;

·       Priorities of measures of adaptation to climate change consequences are appropriate to turn not only to strategic facilities and sectors of economy, but also to specific local communities, sources of livelihood, housing and communal services and social issues;

·        NAP should also include a set of first-priority measures of protecting life activities such construction of shelter waterside structures along the river banks, planting forest shelter belts, raising the preparedness to disasters;

·        It is necessary to take measures for agriculture adaptation both on sector level and on farm level. Protection of crops against disaster hydro-meteorological and climatic phenomena, insurance in agricultural sector are important tools alleviating the vulnerability of crop producers;  

·       Programs and projects of international donors providing assistance to Tajikistan in development and struggle against poverty should include issues related with climate change and population adaptation and should be directed to facilitate the implementation of NAP;  

·       Public organizations should have an opportunity to participate in elaboration, implementation and monitoring of NAP and adaptation projects.

Regarding the community participation: 

·         It is necessary to develop a dialogue and constant exchange of views and information between public organizations and ministries of the relevant sectors of economy on climate change issues particularly on ecology and energy policy.

• The government should provide openness and transparency both for project design/elaboration process and for fundraising under the Clear Development Mechanism, and for their implementation. It is necessary to arrange a broad consulting of community and take the views of public organizations into an account while making decisions.

·       The government should facilitate the wide dissemination of information and materials on climate change problem, benefits of energy saving technologies, adoption of renewable sources of energy, support and initiate the training projects on climate change issues including the use of capacities of printing and electronic mass media.  

·       It is necessary to improve community access both to general information on climate change problem and to certain projects, statutory acts and reports, which may be of any interest to community or contain important data on environmental conditions. According to Aarchus principles and convention (Tajikistan is a party of this convention) such documents should be available and open for comments in advance till their final approval.

Participants of the conference «On the way to Copenhangen», Dushanbe, 1^st November 2009.