Summary of Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate
(Chair's summary of April 18-19 meeting)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
April 19, 2010
Chair's Summary of the Sixth Meeting of the Leaders' Representatives of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate
Following is the text of the Chair's Summary of the April 18-19 meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate: Sixth Meeting of the Leaders' Representatives of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate
Chair's Summary
The sixth Meeting at the Leaders' representative level of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate met in Washington, DC, April 19, 2010. It was attended by officials from the seventeen major economies, as well as the United Nations, with Colombia, Denmark, Grenada, and Yemen also participating in the session.
Participants agreed that smaller, informal discussions such as the Major Economies Forum contributed to success in Copenhagen and can facilitate and enrich the discussions under the UNFCCC, the multilateral forum for negotiating climate change. Parties also highlighted the importance of discussions being representative and transparent.
Participants generally felt that Copenhagen Accord represented an important step forward, and that it provided important political consensus that should be reflected regarding the key issues in the negotiations leading up to Cancun.
Participants discussed goals for Cancun and beyond. There was a discussion of the role of the Kyoto Protocol and the form of a legal outcome. There was also a discussion of the key issues that need to be addressed to have a successful outcome in Cancun, noting the importance of setting realistic expectations for Cancun. Recognizing the urgency of moving forward, participants felt that in Cancun countries should at a minimum agree on a balanced set of decisions informed by the Copenhagen Accord.
Participants discussed what work needs to be done in the year ahead, including the need to elaborate the measurement, reporting, and verification and other transparency provisions of the Accord. In this regard, they welcomed India's presentation on practical approaches to MRV and international consultations and analysis. Various participants also spoke to equity, the role of markets, engaging smaller countries in the mitigation effort, how to ensure that the approach going forward reflects the dictates of science, domestic actions already underway to implement mitigation commitments under the Accord, and actions to reduce deforestation. Participants supported the Mexican Presidency's efforts to prepare COP16.
Many countries noted the importance of moving forward promptly with the Accord's Fast Start financing provisions in a transparent fashion. Several countries presented information on the actions they were already undertaking in response to their fast start financing commitment under the Copenhagen Accord.
The participants were briefed on the Clean Energy Ministerial to be held July 19-20, 2010 in Washington D.C. that aims to advance key activities in the Technology Action Plans of the Global Partnership launched by Leaders in L'Aquila July 2009.
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