UNDP, China and Norway Join Forces to Support Local Actions on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

UNDP, China and Norway Join Forces to Support Local Actions on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

March 26, 2007

    BEIJING, March 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- A Memorandum
of Understanding to support a new project focusing on
developing and implementing provincial programmes on
climate change mitigation and adaptation was signed today
between the Government of China, United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Norway. 

    (Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061107113358-34.jpg ) 

    The signing ceremony was witnessed by Wen Jiabao,
Premier of China, and Jens Stoltenberg, Prime Minister of
Norway, who is visiting China from 25 to 28 March. 

    "The presence of the two top leaders shows the
strong commitments of both governments to responding to the
global challenge of climate change," said Khalid Malik,
UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in
China, at the signing event.  

    "Consequences of global warming are emerging and
the impacts of climate change are already being felt,
"said Malik. "The project will help in particular
the poorest and most vulnerable regions and communities in
China to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change
through developing and implementing provincial strategies
and associated actions and measures."

    Through a landmark US$ 2 million financial contribution
from Norway, the project, entitled "The Provincial
Climate Change Programme in China," is expected to be
launched in mid 2007 by the National Coordination Committee
on Climate Change of the National Development and Reform
Commission (NDRC) and UNDP. 

    "Norway is pleased in this way to continue and
strengthen our cooperation with NDRC and UNDP in addressing
climate change issues and to support the development of
provincial climate change programmes in China" said
Tor Chr. Hildan, Norwegian Ambassador to China.

    The project will support efforts in seven provinces to
implement China's national climate change programme and
take action on the findings of the recently issued National
Climate Change Impact Assessment Report.  

    "While new national policies have been enacted to
set the vision and overarching direction for climate change
mitigation and adaptation in China, more work is needed to
translate such policies into on-the-ground action,"
Malik added. 

    This initiative will assist provincial governments in
assessing potential risks posed by climate change and
develop strategies and plans of action to respond to these
specific challenges.  

    "The risks from future impacts of warming will
vary between and within provinces. If measures are to have
a real effect in coming years, swift action must be made at
the local level to develop policies, partnerships and
implementation capacities," said Malik.

    On the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, for example, the project
will help local governments mitigate the adverse effects of
glacial melting. These glaciers are the world's second
largest store of freshwater and feed seven of the great
rivers of Asia; however, they are receding at a faster rate
than any glaciers on the planet. Their disappearance
jeopardizes the water security of hundreds of millions and
would erase decades of development gains in the region. 

    Using the results of the Climate Change Report, UNDP
will work together with Qinghai and Tibet authorities to
better manage upstream water supplies and minimize the
impact on those most vulnerable.

    In addition, the project will work to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions in the largest coal producing provinces of
Shanxi and Inner Mongolia by adapting China's National
Climate Change Programme aimed at improving efficiency and
pollution controls to regional industries. 

    In Ningxia and Gansu Provinces, climate change and
water shortages threaten to undermine food security. The
project will work with governments to develop crop
adaptation techniques and increase water efficiency to
mitigate the effects of warming on agriculture.  


    For more information, please contact: 

     Ms. Zhang Wei
     Communications Officer
     UNDP China
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]