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UNLDC IV
UN-OHRLLS
THE FOURTH UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE
ON THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT
Reducing vulnerability due to Climate Change, Climate Variability and
Extremes, Land Degradation and Biodiversity Loss: Environmental
and Developmental Challenges and Opportunities for LDCs
Concept Note
28 February 2011,
United Nations Conference Room 7, New Lawn Building
New York, USA.
Introduction
The Brussels Programme of Action (BPoA) for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
for the decade 2001-2010 was adopted at the Third United Nations Conference for Least
Developed Countries held in 2001 and endorsed by the General Assembly in its
resolution 55/279. The overarching goal of the Brussels Programme of Action (BPoA)
for the Least Developed Countries for the decade 2001 – 2010 was “to make substantial
progress towards halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty and suffering
from hunger by 2015 was based on mutual commitments of the LDCs and their
development partners and articulates their policies and measures by the LDCs in seven
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interlinked commitments. One of the seven commitments of the BPoA was reducing
vulnerability and protecting the environment.
As this development decade for the LDCs draws to a close, it is important to review the
progress that has been made in addressing the commitment on reducing vulnerability and
protecting the environment, identify the major constraints, take stock of emerging issues
that need to be addressed in the future; and identify priorities for a renewed partnership in
their support. A major challenge that emerged over the decade in protecting the
environment and reducing vulnerability is climate change. Although the LDCs contribute
a very limited proportion of the total greenhouse gas emissions, they are among the most
vulnerable to climate change in the world. Climate change is exacerbating desertification,
land degradation, and loss of biodiversity, forests and other natural habitats. Climate
change has also led to increased food insecurity; increased energy constraints; rising sea
level, and degrading coastal livelihoods, infrastructure and environment. Such major
impacts threaten economic growth as well as achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals and sustainable development in the LDCs. Yet they have the least
potential to adapt and mitigate to the impacts.
The Green New Deal offers an opportunity for least developed countries a renewed
emphasis to address sustainable development. Green development gives them a new
frontier to get ODA, FDI, trade and technical assistance that fosters economic
development that is truly sustainable thereby avoiding the mistakes of the Developed
Countries and other high polluting developing countries. The outcome of the sixteenth
session of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework of the Convention on Climate
Change that took place in Cancun, Mexico in December 2010 (COP16) made decisions
that have a particular relevance for LDCs particularly in prioritizing them for adaptation
funding under the ‘fast start finance’, the creation of the Green Climate Fund, and
extension of the mandate of LDC expert group, initiation of a process for LDCs to
prepare and implement medium and long term adaptation plans, among many other
decisions, marked some progress.
As the LDCs and their partners prepare to enter into a new partnership - the New TenYear Programme of Action on LDCs - to be adopted at the forthcoming Fourth UN
Conference on LDCs in Istanbul, Turkey in May 2011, it is important to identify priority
areas of effective international support that can successfully support LDCs to manage
climate change and harness green deal opportunities. The meeting aims to provide an
opportunity for different stakeholders, the UN system, LDC Parties, Civil Society, and
Donor community to share information on progress in addressing climate change and
other environmental challenges in LDCs over the last 10 years. The Meeting is expected
to come up with concrete ideas and recommendations on deliverables in the area of
Reducing vulnerability due to Climate Change, Climate Variability and Extremes, Land
Degradation and Biodiversity Loss for LDCs, which will feed into the draft outcome
document of the Fourth UN Conference on LDCs.
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Issues to be discussed:
1. Review the major challenges that Climate Change, Climate Variability and
Extremes, Land Degradation and Biodiversity Loss pose to development of
LDCs, and the opportunities presented;
2. Identify priority actions and measures needed to adequately address the Climate
Change, Climate Variability and Extremes, Land Degradation and Biodiversity
Loss challenge – clearly specifying those to be undertaken by LDCs and those by
the development partners,
3. Identify priority actions by LDCs and development partners that leverage on the
opportunities presented by efforts to address Climate Change, Climate Variability
and Extremes, Land Degradation and Biodiversity Loss including the green deal
and green industry.
Contacts
Communication on the meeting should be addressed to:
UN OHRLLS
Ms. Gladys Mutangadura
UN Office of the High Representative for the
Least Developed Countries,
Landlocked Developing Countries and Small
Island Developing States.
DC1 Blg- Room1214, NY 10017.
Tel : 212-963-3316
Cell: 917 238 4436
fax: 917-367-3415
Email: mutangadura@un.org
Mr. Peter Kenilorea
UN Office of the High Representative for
the Least Developed Countries,
Landlocked Developing Countries and
Small Island Developing States.
DC1 Blg- Room1208, NY 10017
Tel: +1 212 963 9460
fax: 917-367-3415
Email: kenilorea@un.org
UNFCCC
Mr. Paul V. Desanker
Team Leader, Least Developed Countries Unit
UNFCCC Secretariat
Martin-Luther-King Strasse 8
D-53175
Bonn, Germany
E-mail: pdesanker@unfccc.int
Tel: +49 228 815 1362
Fax: +49 228 815 1999
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