Bern, 08.12.2011 - Statement delivered by the Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard Durban, 8 December 2011

Madam President, Ministers, Madam Executive Secretary, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

Urgent action is needed to combat climate change.

Global emissions continue to increase.

The threats and impacts of climate change affect more and more people.

In the face of these challenges, we must act together, we need results.

Durban must sow the seeds for a solution for the 21st century

Last year in Cancun, we agreed to keep the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius. However, current commitments and actions fall far short of this objective. The door is closing. We must agree on a new climate regime that leads into a more ambitious path.

To be effective, such a new regime has to be rules-based, environmentally integer, comprehensive, universal, inclusive, with legally binding, national emission reduction or limitation objectives in line with country capabilities.

Such a regime cannot reflect the world of the past millennium. It has to reflect today's reality.

The current regime, building on a simplistic distinction between developed countries with specific obligations and developing countries without such obligations, is clearly no solution to today's challenge.

  • When the current regime was designed, developed countries produced over 60 % of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Today, they emit less than 45 % of global emissions.
  • Today, many developing countries have higher per capita emissions than developed countries; and
  • Soon, cumulated per capita emissions of some developing countries will exceed those of some developed countries.

The new regime has to reflect these realities.

A Kyoto Protocol post 2012 would cover less that 17% of global emissions. This is crassly insufficient.

The commitment of all major emitters is absolutely necessary.

This is why Switzerland pleads for a comprehensive regime that is legally binding and includes all major emitters, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

This regime should be fair and transparent, allowing to measure, to report and to verify efforts and achievements.

At the same time, a fair arrangement has to be secured in order to help the most vulnerable countries and populations.

In Switzerland we introduced a CO2-tax on fossil fuels. It promotes switching away from oil heating systems. And by technical regulations we will reduce, in line with the EU, CO2-emissions of cars. The technical development will help all of us to reach the targets. But it will need money and investments.

To that aim, Switzerland strongly supports the initiatives under the Convention on adaptation and finance; as part of these we must rapidly put into operation the Green Climate Fund.

With respect to the Green Climate Fund, I would like to announce the readiness of Switzerland to welcome the Green Climate Fund in Geneva. In fact, Geneva offers an exceptional environment for UN, international governmental and non-governmental organizations dealing with environment and development. This setting will provide numerous benefits to the Green Climate Fund: synergies, efficiency and cost optimization.

Switzerland is ready to contribute to the costs of the interim secretariat together with other partners.

Transition towards the new climate regime

Building a new global climate regime will need time. But we have to start to build this regime here and now in Durban.

We need to agree on a vision of a single, comprehensive, effective and legally binding instrument that must be in place by 2020; and we must also agree on a mandate to negotiate such an instrument and on a Roadmap that will guide us through its elaboration and right to its finish line.

During the transitional phase towards this regime, Switzerland will:

  • Pursue its ambitious policies to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, and
  • Deepen its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol post 2012, if all major emitters accept ambitious commitments commensurate with their capabilities.

Francophonie

La Suisse, présidente du Sommet de la Francophonie, se réjouit de l'étroite collaboration entre pays francophones dans le cadre des négociations climatiques.

La Francophonie, qui réunit des pays de tous les continents et de tous les groupes de négociations, peut ouvrir la voie vers un nouvel accord qui - en respectant les diverses conditions nationales - peut être approuvé par tous les pays.

La Francophonie, se dit prête à œuvrer vers un nouveau régime global qui sauvegarde notre planète et la planète de nos enfants.

Nous nous engageons à continuer cette mission commune.

Merci Madame la Présidente.


Address for enquiries

Communication DETEC, +41 58 462 55 11


Publisher

General Secretariat of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications; General Secretariat DETEC
https://www.uvek.admin.ch/uvek/en/home.html

Federal Office for the Environment FOEN
https://www.bafu.admin.ch/en

https://www.admin.ch/content/gov/en/start/dokumentation/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-42585.html