Bonn COP23: Rwanda seeks transparency in climate change financing

Dr Biruta heads the Rwanda delegation to Bonn. File. As world leaders converge in the German city of Bonn for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) this week, Rwanda will be looking forward to successful negotiations that would lead to a clear Paris Agreement roadmap. The roadmap sets out modalities of how developed countries will provide technology and finance to vulnerable countries to fight climate change, officials said. The two-week conference, convening over 20,000 participants from across the world, will advance the goals and ambitions of the Paris Agreement and seek ways to achieve progress on its implementation. COP23 starts today, with Environment minister Vincent Biruta leading the Rwandan delegation. The Chief Climate Negotiator and head of the Climate Change Unit at Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), Faustin Munyazikwiye, told The New Times that Rwanda will seek to encourage parties to ratify Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol and robust negotiations to forge transparent technology and financing mechanisms for climate change. Experts say that clear financing mechanisms, and sharing technology that supports adaptation and mitigation will go a long way in delivering the goals and commitments made in the Paris Agreement. “Rwanda is looking forward to robust negotiations at the upcoming UN climate talks in Germany. We are working with other vulnerable countries to call for substantive action, which includes agreeing on a global goal for adaptation, Munyazikwiye said from Bonn. “Success for us in Bonn, is agreeing on the implementation framework for the Paris Agreement, which will help us achieve our goals and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. We need a clear roadmap and transparency on how developed countries will provide technology and finance to vulnerable countries and we hope to achieve this in Bonn.” ‘Door to collaboration’ The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change executive secretary, Patricia Espinosa, recently said that COP23 “opens the door to even more collaboration and support – for resilient communities and for the transition to growth powered by clean energy.” The Paris Agreement was hailed as a landmark global deal when 194 countries, including Rwanda, passed it while the world’s super powers signed up to sweeping pledges on the environment at a UN meeting in the French capital in late 2015. Developed and developing countries committed to provide $100 billion per year in climate finance and technology transfer to effect the deal. Munyazikwiye said COP23 will be yet another moment to encourage more nations to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, “so we can meet the target of limiting warming to two degrees Celsius, and even hopefully reach the more ambitious target of 1.5 degrees Celsius.” Nine countries have so far ratified the Kigali Amendment a year after its adoption. The 29th meeting of the parties to the Montreal Protocol is also set for November 20, in Montreal, Canada, and most likely the same team will be headed there. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

News

Bonn COP23: Rwanda seeks transparency in climate change financing