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Letter submitted by State of Palestine to the Presidency of COP21 and Coming Presidency of COP22 of
UNFCCC regarding the special circumstances of the State of Palestine
Ramallah
26 July 2016
Excellency Ms. Ségolène Roya
President of COP21 of UNFCCC
Excellency Mr. Salah Eddin Mizwar
President of COP22 f UNFCCC
The State of Palestine would like to take the opportunity to thank you and your teams for the
distinguished and capable leadership in handling the climate negotiations. The historic achievement of
Paris Agreement will for years to come be considered a success to the French diplomacy and wisdom in
finding a way to take into consideration the interest of every Party to the Convention in a balanced and
comprehensive manner.
Excellencies, the State of Palestine, the proud Party number 197 to the Convention, was among the first
to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement on 22 April 2016 as it recognizes the critical achievement the Paris
Agreement represents. The personal participation of the Palestinian President in COP21 in Paris and in
the signing ceremony in New York is no doubt a strong and an equivocal commitment from the Sate of
Palestine to join the international community tackling the consequences of climate change.
The State of Palestine is not immune to the consequences of climate change. It has a long history of
proactively addressing climate change and its consequences on its own initiative and prior to joining the
UNFCCC and ratifying the Paris Agreement. Palestine is located in the Eastern Mediterranean, which
according the IPCC suffers greatly from the negative consequences of climate change, in particular
droughts. The State of Palestine developed in 2010 the“Palestinian Climate Change Adaptation
Strategy”. In 2015 a “National Capacity Development Program on Climate Change” was developed
aiming at enhancing the national capacities in dealing with climate change issues in an efficient and
active manner. Recently, a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) targeting twelve most vulnerable sectors in
Palestine and for a time frame of ten years was prepared in which all national stakeholders were
effectively involved. In the Palestinian NAP, water availability was recognized and considered as the
most vulnerable sector which will have impact on agricultural production and food production resulting
in water and food insecurity as the main and most important consequence of climate change among
others. In addition, different mitigation options were defined aiming at decreasing the almost negligible
emissions of Palestine.
All of this was done with very limited support and resources especially in light of Palestine’s particular
and unique circumstances. The humanitarian and socio-economic impact of climate change will highly
exacerbate the current situation on the ground which resulted from the extended years of aggressive
occupation, in particular the denial of the right to managing our natural resources, in addition to
systematic and widespread damage of natural assets. It is worth stressing that the United Nations
General Assembly on an annual basis adopts a resolution on reaffirming Palestinian sovereignty over
their natural resources, which Israel usually rejected to abide. This infringement on Palestine’s
sovereignty on its natural resources, in particular water resources, coupled with the impact of the
occupation extremely limits the capacities of Palestinians in being able to cope or adapt to climate
change impacts and warrants special consideration. The implementation of National Climate Plans as
well as Palestine’s commitments under the Paris Agreement requires the creation of an enabling
environment necessitating the provisions of support with regard to finance, technology development
and transfer and capacity building.
Taking into consideration the kind and extended support that France is providing to Palestine and to the
Palestinian People, in addition to the unlimited support from the coming presidency of the COP22 as
well, the State of Palestine kindly request the presidencies of COP21 and COP22 to: "Recognize State of
Palestine's specific needs and special circumstances of being particularly vulnerable to the adverse
effects of climate change and decides to support Palestine’s efforts to implement its National Climate
Change Strategies and Action Plans and Developing and implementing its Low Emission Development
Strategies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including via Receiving Support in the Provision of
Financial, Technological and Capacity Building Support", and highly appreciate supporting the Draft
decision to be taken by COP22 in that regard (attached).
Excellencies, rest assured the full support of the Palestine to your exceptional efforts aiming at paving
the road for the implementation of the historic Paris Agreement.
- Please find attached below a draft COP22 decision on the above mentioned matter.
Kingdome of Morocco
Marrakesh
22nd Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC
7- 18 November 2016
DRAFT Decision
Decision on recognition of State of Palestine's specific needs and special circumstances of particularly
vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change
Submitted by: State of Palestine
The Twenty Second Session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change,
Recalling the objectives, principles and the commitments under the Convention,
Recognizing that climate change poses dangers to future human well-being and the achievement of
sustainable development,
Deeply concerned that all countries, particularly developing countries, are facing increased risks due
to the serious negative impacts of climate change,
Reaffirming that economic and social development and poverty eradication are overriding priorities
of developing countries,
Recalling the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,
Recalling the 2002 Johannesburg Plan of Implementation,
Reaffirming the recommendations of the 2003 United Nations Environment Program desk study on
environment in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,
Noting with concern the findings of the IPCC Fourth and Fifth Assessment Report considering the
East Mediterranean as one of the regions that will suffer from the negative impacts of climate
change,
Stressing the humanitarian aspects of climate change and global warming,
Considering the United Nations Environment Programme Governing Council's decision 25/12 of
2009,
Taking into consideration the UNDP Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Programme of Action
for the Palestinian Authority where several parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory have been
identified as "having particularly high levels of climate change vulnerability",
Taking into consideration the Palestinian "National Development Plan" and the "Mitigation Plan" ,
Taking into consideration the "Palestinian National Capacity Development Program" ,
Taking into consideration that occupation have sever negative impact on the ability of State of
Palestine to implement the convention and its national climate change strategies and action plans,
1. The COP decides to recognize State of Palestine's specific needs and special circumstances of
being particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and decides to support
Palestine’s efforts to implement the convention and its National Climate Change Strategies and
Action Plans and Developing and implementing its Low Emission Development Strategies in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory, including via Receiving Support in the Provision of Financial,
Technological and Capacity Building Support.
2. The COP urge Parties to the Convention through multilateral agencies, including the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) within its mandate, Green Climate Fund (GCF) within its mandate,
relevant intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other partnerships
and initiatives, bilateral agencies and the private sector, or through any further arrangements,
as appropriate, to provide financial, technological, technical and capacity-building support to
State of Palestine whose special circumstances are recognized by the COP in order to assist
them in implementing the convention and its national climate change strategies and action
plans and developing and implementing its low-emission development strategies and action
plans.
3. The COP also request the secretariat to prepare, for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for
Implementation (SBI) at its forty sixth session, a technical paper identifying opportunities for
State of Palestine whose special circumstances are recognized by the COP to benefit, at least
until 2020, from support from relevant bodies established under the Convention and other
relevant bodies and institutions to enhance mitigation, adaptation, technology, capacitybuilding and access to finance.