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Seminar of Governmental Experts on Climate Change
(Overview and Evaluation)

I. Overview

  1. The Seminar of Governmental Experts on climate change was held on May 16 and 17 in Bonn, Germany.
  2. This seminar was held in compliance with the agreement reached at the 10th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP10) in December 2004, following the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol this February, bearing in mind that the considerations on the commitments from 2013 onward will be started by the end of this year.
  3. The aim of this seminar was to conduct honest and in-depth exchange of opinions among governmental experts on how to enhance global responses to climate change in the future. Approximately 200 Parties and observers took part in the seminar in a proactive manner.
  4. Participants from Japan included HE Mutsuyoshi Nishimura, Ambassador for Global Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Kazuhiko Takemoto, Deputy Director-General of the Global Environment Bureau of the Ministry of the Environment; Mr. Hiroyuki Fukano, Deputy Director-General for Environment Affairs, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Furthermore, HE Masaki Konishi (former Ambassador for Global Environmental Affairs), Special Assistant to the Foreign Minister served as co-chair with Malaysia and contributed to creating a friendly atmosphere and vitalizing the discussion.

II. Presentation by each country

  1. A total of 26 Parties including Japan, China, India, the United States, Canada, England, Brazil, South Africa, Tuvalu, Australia and Mexico as well as the European Commission (EC) gave a presentation.
  2. Japan announced that it will achieve its goal of a 6% reduction based on the Kyoto Protocol Target Achievement Plan which was approved by the Cabinet on April 28. Furthermore, Japan stressed the importance of investment for technical development and incentives towards technology transfer by reviewing the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), the need for long-term efforts for emission reduction encompassing major emitting countries as well as provision of assistance for adjustment measures (measures against floods, droughts, etc.). Japan also sought for realistic dialogues with the vision and understanding that all countries will advance international efforts in a mutually cooperative manner without taking punitive approaches.
  3. The developing countries mainly emphasized the importance of sustainable development, and the need for technology transfer (review of CDM, etc.) through further international cooperation, funding, and responses to adverse effects of climate change, under the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" into the future.
    The European countries placed emphasis on the need for the development and dissemination of technology, the need to transmit long-term policy signals to mobilize investment, as well as coordination with policy measures in other areas such as climate change, poverty issues and energy security.
    The presentation given by the US did not go beyond introducing its own measures for climate change.

III. Evaluation

  1. The Seminar of Governmental Experts this time served as a groundbreaking opportunity for governmental officials to exchange opinions and conduct discussions regarding medium- and long-term measures on climate change for the first time after the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol, based on the COP agreement.
  2. A consensus document will not be created due to the nature of the meeting (the Convention Secretariat is scheduled to create the minutes of the meeting at a later date). However, general understanding was shared among the participants on the following points: (1) climate change is a serious threat and responses by all Parties are crucial; (2) All Parties must make utmost efforts to achieve their goals stipulated in the Kyoto Protocol, as well as take effective measures for beyond 2013; and (3) there is a need to further advance efforts towards the goals stipulated in the Framework Convention on Climate Change (stabilization of greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations) and that the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) and the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP1) in Montreal scheduled at the end of this year will serve as important opportunities for negotiations in this regard.
  3. Intergovernmental discussions regarding measures for climate change beyond 2013 are expected to be further vitalized towards the upcoming COP11. Based on the lessons learned from this seminar, Japan will cooperate with other Parties to formulate a realizable future framework in which the US and developing countries such as China and India will participate, through international negotiations and the "Informal Meeting on Further Actions against Climate Change which Japan co-chairs with Brazil.
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