Paris climate conference: Preparation of INDCs difficult, tricky process, says Ambassador Lacoste

Says Ministry of Climate Change ‘a young ministry’

ISLAMABAD: The Paris Climate Conference (COP21) Deputy Special Representative, Philippe Gay Lacoste said that preparation of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) was a difficult process, which was not just tricky for the developing countries but for developed countries too.

Lacoste, while briefing media persons at a gathering here at the residence of the French ambassador said that in his opinion the time period [given] to develop INDCs was too limited, adding some countries had concerns and difficulties when it came expected agreement at the climate conference, and the legal status of the INDCs.

He said that some countries had concerns when it came to the text of the expected agreement sent to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Lacoste said that they would have to find a balance when it came to these issues.

He said that more than 155 countries submitted their INDCs by due date.

“It is unfortunate that Pakistan missed the deadline but I think Pakistan held broad consultations with different stakeholders,” Lacoste said. “The Ministry of Climate Change is a young ministry and they are inexperienced too.  In many countries we have seen it takes time to organise,” he added.

Lacoste said that if the delay leads to better implementation of INDCs than it was fine.

He said that the process itself was a work in progress.

Lacoste said that next week they had a pre-COP ministerial-level meeting. He said that the US now appeared enthusiastic concerning climate change negotiations.

Lacoste said that they were trying to engage businesses and the corporate sector when it came to issues such as carbon pricing.

He appreciated the interest shown by the World Economic Forum towards a responsible response to the issue of climate change.

The French representative, while replying to a question said, “We don’t have any police or international sanctions or green helmets coming for these countries, it’s just peer review, you commit to a certain number of measures and five years later you come together and you say, we didn’t reach our objective for this or that reason.”

He said that around 80 heads of state were expected to attend the Paris climate conference.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2015.