REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN SPEECH BY THE HEAD OF DELEGATION MR. TURMAGAMBETOV M. A. AT THE SEVENTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Honorable Mr. Chairman,
Your Excellencies,
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
The Republic of Kazakhstan has been active in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change since the day it entered the process. Our goal is to maximize greenhouse gas emission reductions in Kazakhstan by promoting and developing projects that mitigate and sequester emissions, thus contributing to global reductions. The Republic of Kazakhstan is also developing flexible financial mechanisms to improve our management of domestic natural resources.

The Republic of Kazakhstan supports domestic activities aimed to implement specific mitigation and emission reduction projects. For example, our country has developed and introduced at the national level guidelines for consideration, evaluation, verification and validation of greenhouse gas emission reduction projects. Earlier this year, the Government approved a preliminarily project that will utilize the associated gas at an oil refinery. This project is the first of several pilot projects we intend to launch within the next few years.

Kazakhstan is logical in its actions under the Climate Convention. As you remember, we declared our willingness to take a more active part in the Kyoto process by acceding as an Annex 1 country to the UNFCCC. In March 2000, based on the results of COP-5 and through consultations with other Parties to the Convention, Kazakhstan notified the UNFCCC Secretariat we would undertake voluntary obligations under articles 4.2 (a) and 4.2 (b) according to article 4.2 (g) of the UNFCCC. Under Article 1, paragraph 7 of the Kyoto Protocol, Kazakhstan will become an Annex 1 Party. The SBI has prepared a draft conclusion on the issue, and it will be discussed at the COP session on Friday. Many Parties participated in drafting the conclusion, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to them and the Secretariat for the efforts taken to reach a balanced decision.

Now, the Republic of Kazakhstan has adopted the following plan of action to ratify the Kyoto Protocol:

To start the process of the Kyoto Protocol ratification in 2002.
To establish an interagency working group involving national experts and scientists with the aim to estimate expected greenhouse gas emissions and assess the affects of the Kyoto mechanisms upon the Kazakhstan\'s economy.
Not later than in 2005 to determine and undertake quantitative obligations of greenhouse gas emissions for the first commitment period of 2008-2012. To ratify the Kyoto Protocol as Annex 1 Party, at the same time acceding Annex B.

In conclusion, I would like to explain the reason of Kazakhstan entering Annex 1 to the Framework Convention.

First of all, it is critically important for sustainable development of Kazakhstan, its balanced energy consumption.

Secondly, the Government has declared utilization of associate gas at oil deposits a priority approach. It is a very important strategic goal, and we think it necessary to build capacity for implementation of such projects by both international and national oil companies.

On the third hand, the Kyoto Protocol is the first attempt to improve the global environment using financial market-based mechanisms. This mechanism could potentially become a model used long into the future and possibly used for other types of global environmental issues important to Kazakhstan. We are also interested in the near-term benefits of marketing carbon credits through the Joint Implementation and Clean Development Mechanisms, and in the long-term of potentially banking these credits for use in future budget periods. Kazakhstan has enormous potential for greenhouse gas mitigation projects and we would like to enter the first commitment period with a functioning national system to assist develop these projects. However, most importantly, Kazakhstan\'s interest in becoming an Annex 1 country is to prove our adherence to the principle of common responsibility to reduce anthropogenic activities harming the global environment.

Thank you for your attention.