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G8 Report Transcription (Page 4)

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• ·better provide the international business community with a predictable and long term perspective, and
• ·strengthen and extend market mechanisms by, inter alia, developing and extending existing programmes, taking into account the appropriate metrics for such systems.

Reducing Emissions by Curbing Deforestation

We are determined to assist in reducing emissions from deforestation, especially in developing countries. Reducing, and in the long term halting deforestation provides a significant and cost-effective contribution toward mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and toward conserving biological diversity, promoting sustainable forest management and enhancing security of livelihoods. To this end, we will

• ·encourage the establishment of a pilot project dedicated to building capacity, creating and testing performance-based instruments to reduce emissions from deforestation in developing countries, in support of and without prejudice to ongoing UN climate change discussions. We therefore encourage the World Bank, in close cooperation with the G8, developing countries, the private sector, NGOs and other partners, to develop and implement such a forest carbon partnership as soon as possible,
• ·continue to support existing processes to combat illegal logging. Illegal logging is one of the most difficult obstacles to further progress in realising sustainable forest management and thereof, in protecting forests worldwide,
• ·remain engaged in supporting developing countries to achieve their self-commitments for halting forest loss and to implement sustainable forest management, as stated in various regional initiatives, i.e. the Congo Basin and the Asia Forest Partnerships. Good results and good practice in international cooperation have also been achieved through ITTO projects and the Brazilian Pilot Program to conserve the tropical rain forests.

At the St. Petersburg Summit, we agreed to enhance international co-operation in the area of sustainable forest management. We welcome the recent agreement at the UN Forum on Forests on a non-legally binding instrument on the sustainable management of all types of forests. We note that the effectiveness of this instrument will be reviewed by the UN Forum on Forests in 2015. Building on these initiatives, we are determined and urge the international community to strengthen co-operation and the sharing of best practices at all levels. Consideration of additional actions on sustainable forest management could be a possible next step for parties willing to expand on their commitments.

Adapting to Climate Change

We acknowledge that even implementing the ambitious mitigation steps described above will not avoid further climate impacts, especially in those developing countries and regions which are most vulnerable to climate change. We are committed to enhancing resiliency to climate variability and climate change in a way that fully supports our common goal of sustainable development. We welcome the adoption of the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation to climate change. We also note the importance of the UN adaptation funds in helping developing countries mainstream adaptation into policies and programming. We emphasise our willingness to continue and enhance cooperation with and support for developing countries in adapting to climate change and enhancing their resilience to climate variability, in particular those most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change. We also emphasise our willingness to work with developing countries on the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation measures to help integrating them in national development planning. We reaffirm our commitment to assist with climate research and risk assessments including through helping developing countries benefit from satellite observation systems.

We will also endeavor under the Montreal Protocol to ensure the recovery of the ozone layer by accelerating the phase-out of HCFCs in a way that supports energy efficiency and climate change objectives. In working together toward our shared goal of speeding ozone recovery, we recognize that the Clean Development Mechanism impacts emissions of ozone-depleting (continued on next page)

Photo Credit: German Federal Government/Gebhardt