[The Hwankyung Ilbo] About a month ago, all members of the G20 reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, save the United States. As climate change worsens, responding actions are more compulsory.

In such an emergency, it is important to scrutinize the reports of each member for their response against climate change. A seminar that happened on July 25th in Seoul President hotel seems to answer this. Hosted by the Ministry of the environment, the International Trends of Climate Change Adaptation Seminar invites two guest speakers who have worked with UNFCCC: Sang-in Kang, Senior Researcher of Korea Environment Institute and member of Korea Delegation of UNFCCC, and William Kojo Agyemang-Bonsu, UN Climate Change Secretariat.

Mr. Sang-in Kang gives a presentation about the trend of international cooperation in climate change. <Photography=Chijung Park>

Introduction of the UN Climate Change Convention and Paris Agreement

In order to clearly understand the specific steps taken to combat climate change, Kang presents the essential programs and plans, along with their assigned roles. These strategies focus on the value of “resilience” and “adaptation.”

He lists the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Danger for response against climate change damages, Nairobi Work Program for facilitating and catalyzing knowledge of adaptation policies, and National Adaption Plans for long-term adaption planning for countries. Along with these programs, he introduces the three largest group that will be rolling out these programs: Least Developed Countries Expert Group, Adaption Committee, and Excom.

Future Trends and Agendas

From the basis of the Paris Agreement Agenda, Kang indicates how the fulfillment rules will proceed and how all 15 rules from the Paris Agreement will be achieved. Overall, he talks about the transitional process of reporting transparency, adaption, and effectivity issues for each country.

As he introduced the main groups and programs, he explicates how each group will work towards international cooperation and agreement. He points out that the analysis of each countries’ position in combatting climate change is crucial and must be reported for UNFCCC to as a “control tower.”

Mr.Kojo Agyemang-Bonsu discusses the framework of transparency report. <Photopgraphy=Chijung Park>

Transparency Framework in Paris Agreement

Agyemang-Bonsu emphasizes the fact that guidelines on national reports are essential to achieving transparency between the public and other countries. He divides the objective of Paris Agreement into three parts: action, means of implementation, and accountability. Then, he clarifies the different roles developed countries and developing countries “should or shall” take.

The purpose of achieving transparency is difficult as it is to “provide a clear understanding of climate change action” and “clarity on support by individual parties” in climate change. In light of these principles, Agyemang-Bonsu details into how countries should submit their report (also known as Biennial Transparency Report), including the optional reports such as ways to compensate social, economic, and political damage by climate change

Other Opinion and Comments

Agyemang-Bonsu strongly believes that developed countries must advance action while developing countries support it technically and financially. As the transparency framework is enhanced, he has hopes into the reports submitted in 2022 and 2024 for all countries in the United Nations.

Chijung Park Reporter  chijungpark@hkbs.co.kr

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