Climate Change - Meeting for the 15th CSD Session

Climate Change

Trigg Talley, Acting Director, Office of Global Change
Statement at the Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting for the 15th CSD Session
New York City
February 28, 2007

AS DELIVERED

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

U.S. international engagement on climate change is rooted in the context of sustainable development. We are a Party to the UNFCCC and are doing much to contribute to its objectives. The advantage of discussing climate change in the CSD is this forum's cross-cutting perspective in examining issues associated with action to address energy access, pollution reduction, promoting sustained economic growth and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The CSD has also been at the forefront in promoting partnerships among governments and key stakeholders. The United States has applied a partnership approach in a number of contexts that relate to climate change objectives.

Since 2002, we have been involved in the launch of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy, the Methane to Markets Partnership, and most recently the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate. These partnerships are engaging countries and stakeholders from all regions of the world to achieve a range of development, energy and environmental goals.

As we have stated earlier, the CSD has a clear mandate to focus on those areas where it can add the most value. The CSD should not duplicate the work ongoing in other bodies, such as the UNFCC.

CSD can add real value by disseminating and replicating practical energy solutions. Drawing from the 120-plus case studies in the CSD-Matrix, I would like to highlight the Methane to Markets Partnership, which advances cost-effective, near-term methane recovery and use as a clean energy source.

Here are few examples of M2M activities that are producing real results, on the ground, right now.

* The world's largest coal mine methane project - a 120 MW combined heat and power plant - is being built in Shanxi Province, China. Over the 20-year lifetime of this project, it is estimated that 40 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions will be avoided.
* The United States has provided seed funding for landfill gas projects in Mexico and Brazil that are expected to reduce emissions by 45,000 and 500,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per year, respectively.
* U.S funding for a Ukrainian coal mine safety and emission reduction project is estimated to reduce emissions by 100,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually.

Methane capture and use is just one of several solutions we have highlighted this week that address climate change as well as energy access. In our Featured Solutions document you will notice we have also highlighted solutions related to energy efficiency, renewables, and nuclear energy. On nuclear energy, for example, we have highlighted the Generation IV International Forum and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.

The United States also employs the partnership approach in our international adaptation activities. We collaborate with developing country partners in a broad range of activities designed to better understand climate and its implications for development and to build resilience to climate variability and change.

For example, The United States is working with developing country partners to combine data from satellite observations with local meteorological, crop, and livelihood information to provide decision makers with early warnings of food security risks through the Famine Early Warning System Network. FEWS operates in 27 countries and has been providing early warnings for 20 years.

Through the Radio and Internet for the Communication of Hydro-Meteorological and Climate-Related Information for Development Program, the United States is working with humanitarian and meteorological organizations to provide useful weather and climate information to rural communities. It operates in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific.

Our partnership approach to climate change encourages meaningful global participation through practical actions and partnerships that address the interlinked objectives of improved energy security, improved air quality and public health, and reduced greenhouse gas intensity in ways that will help ensure the continued economic growth and prosperity for our citizens and for citizens throughout the world.

The United States looks forward to participating in the Framework Convention's Dialogue on Long-Term Cooperative Action in May. We see its focus on sustainable development and market-friendly approaches as a useful way of broadening the way in which climate issues are seen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

ENDS

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