Realistic changes in emission patterns are urgently required to prevent dangerous interference with the climate system and achieve the ultimate objectives of the International Conventions on environment, stated Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama during the discussions on Wednesday, regarding Climate Change at the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting being held in Trinidad & Tobago.
He elaborated that common but differentiated responsibilities is an important principle and emphasized the need for additional incentives including financial flows for developing countries to make commitments to enhanced action on mitigation and adaptation.
The Minister recognized that carbon trading is an important aspect in environmental protection and that a carbon value should be allocated for tropical rain forests.
He observed that certain countries should reduce their domestic Green House Gas emission by at least 49% below the 1990 levels in the second commitment period. He stated that their total emission reductions will be determined by applying the principle of historical responsibility, debt and addressing the needs of developing countries.
Minister Bogollagama outlined that efforts of adaptation of developing countries like Sri Lanka without a proper financing mechanism will not be a success in the long term. In this context he observed that the Adaptation Fund under the Kyoto Protocol as being inadequate for purposes of adaptation in developing countries, and suggested that this fund be under the Convention.
The Foreign Minister pointed out that Mitigation Actions by developing countries will purely depend on the effective provision of financial, technological and capacity-building support by developed country parties. He stated that technological support for both mitigation and adaptation should be in line with traditional knowledge and must be country driven. He also referred to the need of evolving a fairly apportioned process of burden sharing.
Subsequently speaking on the issues connected with youth, Minister Bogollagama pointed out that a large number of youth are today involved, either voluntarily or by force in armed violence, and therefore ways had to be found for such youth to actively contribute towards peace building.
The Foreign Minister elaborated that when addressing the problems of the youth, those caught up in armed violence cannot be forgotten. He outlined the Sri Lankan youth in the North and East of the country were subjected to the tyranny of the LTTE and most of them were forcibly recruited by the terrorists. Since the defeat of terrorism in Sri Lanka, he referred to programmes having been implemented to rehabilitate and reintegrate these former combatants as productive and respected members of the society. The Minister emphasized that these programmes, implemented in accordance with internationally accepted principles of rehabilitation and reintegration, have enabled them to regain their lost youth amidst a protective environment of love, care and kindness. This he said brings to the fore the importance of youth mainstreaming.
He outlined that in attempting to find solutions to the current global crises, the problems faced by youth also had to be addressed as their empowerment and development are important contributing factors to sustainable development.
- Asian Tribune -
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