Download Welcome Remarks by Prof. Kyaw Htun, Deputy Director

Final
Welcome Remarks by Prof. Kyaw Htun, Deputy DirectorGeneral, Planning and Statistics Department, Ministry of
Forestry at the Opening Ceremony of the Tenth Seminar on
Current International Issues Affecting Forestry and Forestry
Products held at the Royal Kumudra Hotel on the 24th of June,
2009, in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
Distinguished Delegates from ASEAN Member States,
Representatives from International Institutions,
Resource Persons,
Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Ministry of Forestry and on my own behalf, I would
like to warmly welcome you all to the Tenth Seminar on Current
International Issues Affecting Forestry and Forestry Product
which is held in Nay Pyi Taw, the new administrative Capital City of
Myanmar today. It is also a great honor for Myanmar to have the
opportunity to host this important meeting. The experts of the ASEAN
community as well as international organizations gather here today to
address the current international issues affecting forestry and forestry
products.
The theme for today’s seminar is “ASEAN strategic positioning on
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest degradation
(REDD) in developing countries”. Emissions from deforestation and
forest degradation in developing countries constitute some 20 percent
of total global emission of greenhouse gases annually. This clearly
indicates that reducing the emissions from deforestation and forest
degradation in developing countries plays a significant role in
mitigating global climate change which should be part of the next
global climate regime.
Distinguished Delegates, participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Regarding ASEAN engagements on Forests and Climate Change, the
11th ASOF Meeting held in July 2008 in Malaysia adopted the Reducing
Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in
Developing Countries and Afforestation and Reforestation – Clean
Development Mechanism (A/R CDM) issues as key agenda of ASOF.
The Meeting also agreed to the proposal by the ASEAN-German
Regional Forests Programme (ReFOP) on “Promotion of the use of
regional knowledge networks to broaden the ASEAN base of
knowledge in forestry”.
In accordance with ASOF guidance and approval, an ASEAN Regional
Knowledge Network on Forests and Climate Change (ARKN-FCC) was
initiated in 2008 and the inaugural meeting was organized in October
2008. The main outcomes of the first Meeting was the recommended
text on an ASEAN Common Position Paper on REDD and A/R CDM.
An ASEAN High-Level Seminar on REDD and A/R CDM was held in
November 2008 at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia and
proposed the finalized text for an “ASEAN Common Position Paper on
REDD”. Consequently, the ASEAN Common Position Paper on REDD
was presented at the UNFCCC’s COP 14 Meeting in Poznan, Poland
held on 1 – 12 December 2008.
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The second meeting of the ARKN-FCC held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
in February, 2009 finalised the Terms of Reference of the Network
and agreed to work on Reference Emission Level, REDD Approaches,
and REDD Phases during 2009.
In line with this development, an ASEAN Regional Workshop on Forest
and Climate Change was organized in Phnom Penh in May 2009 and
made the policy implementation options for REDD as part of ongoing
regional cooperation among the ASEAN Member States. The options
basically include:
1. Establishment of a fund under ASOF, with technical support from
international organisations;
2. Supporting the agreed position of G77 and China that a funding
window for REDD+ should be established and accessible to all
non-annex I Parties;
3. Countries should be supported to come up with Readiness Plan
(R-PLAN) as soon as possible within ASEAN cooperation
framework;
4. Incentives both from market and funds should be provided;
5. International commitment from developed countries to support
REDD+ action should be binding;
6. Careful consideration Option 1 (activity-based accounting) and
Option 2 (land-based accounting);
7.
The elaboration of a common ASEAN REDD position paper prior
to UNFCCC-COP15;
8. The Establishment of an ASEAN negotiation group on REDD+
before COP15.
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Distinguished Delegates, Lades and Gentlemen,
REDD has become one of the fast developing issues under the
UNFCCC's Climate Change negotiation since the end of 2007 and basic
methodology for REDD is scheduled to be agreed at the COP15 in
December 2009. At present, REDD+ has been introduced in UNFCCC
meetings and there are a number of REDD initiatives and pilot
projects being introduced by various international organizations, NGOs
and even private sectors in the region, particularly in Cambodia, Lao
PDR, Indonesia and Viet Nam.
While some Member States are taking a pragmatic approach by
enacting proper legislative framework and regulation in setting
domestic procedures and undertaking REDD activities, a few other
countries have to depend on and follow the approaches and
procedures initiated by various donors, such as UN-REDD and World
Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility.
Sharing country experience / information and taking a common
regional position would enhance for ASEAN Member States with a
consolidated position and stronger negotiation power as a regional
bloc. These activities would also strengthen ASEAN Member States to
prepare for their readiness to be involved in fast-developing carbon
markets.
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Distinguished Delegates, Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my sincere thanks to the
panelists and resource persons for sharing their expertise and
knowledge in REDD and the delegates from the ASEAN Members
States for being with us at this seminar. The recommendations from
this Seminar will be brought to the attention of 11th ASOF Meeting on
25-27 June 2009 when the next steps and plan for ASEAN strategic
positioning on REDD is expected to be decided. Therefore I would
like to urge the delegates and participants to actively and actively take
part in the seminar in order to achieve the objectives of the seminar.
I am fully confident that the seminar will be able to produce very good
ideas and recommendations to be submitted to the ASOF Meeting. I
wish the seminar a very successful one and you all have a happy and
pleasant stay in Na Pyi Taw.
I thank you!
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