Project Objective & Brief Description: |
The workshop “The Republic of Belarus and the Kyoto Protocol” was held on 27 November 2003 in Minsk within the framework of the UNDP/UNEEC Project «Feasibility Study on Opportunities for Belarus to join the Kyoto Protocol of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change». The key task of the workshop was to launch a comprehensive discussion of issues relating to Belarus’ joining the Kyoto Protocol and positive and negative impacts which the country will need to address in future if it becomes a party to the Protocol.
The following issues topped the agenda of the workshop:
- efforts of the international institutions on mitigation and prevention of global warming (the programs of UNDP, the UN European Economic Commission and the World Bank);
- role of energy saving in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and implementing commitments under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol;
- elaboration of the First National Communication within UNFCCC commitments by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection;
- findings of the in-depth review of the First National Communication by UNFCCC Secretariat mission on 17-21 November 2003;
- presentation of the package for joining the Kyoto Protocol (justification of the expediency of joining the Kyoto Protocol summarizing positive and negative impacts of the relevant commitments; - the estimates of the costs associated with the implementation of the commitments under the Protocol);
- international experience of joining the Kyoto Protocol and the use of its flexibility mechanisms (Center for Investment Projects Implementation/the Russian Program for investing in rehabilitation of the environment, Moscow);
- initial results of the project “Feasibility Study on Opportunities for Belarus to join the Kyoto Protocol” (the Energy Efficiency Committee of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus).
There are all grounds for Belarus to join the Kyoto Protocol in 2004. Under the Protocol the country is committed to preserve total emissions of greenhouse gases at 1990 levels. However, due to the economic recess in 1990-1995 and change of the fuel mix in Belarus, the current emissions of greenhouse gases is 1.5 times lower that the level to be negotiated under the Kyoto Protocol. Apart from this, it is projected that emissions of greenhouse gases will increase at a much slower rate than the GDP growth.
Given that the Kyoto Protocol provides for emissions trading, in order to implement its commitments the Republic of Belarus will be able to sell a part of its emissions credits. The initial estimates suggest that the potential revenues of the country can range from 300 million USD to 1,3 billion USD a year. Apart from this, the Kyoto Protocol gives a country an opportunity to reduce emissions and get additional investment revenues through the joint projects on energy saving or technologies aimed at reducing emissions.
Due to participation of the key professionals and experts from the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and international organizations (48 people) the workshop proved to be very interesting and involved a useful discussion on the elaboration of the decision on joining the Kyoto Protocol.
The workshop contributed to raising
awareness of policymakers in energy saving, nature management and environmental
protection about the current situation in the country in terms of implementing
the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the problem of mitigation al
prevention of global warming. |
