BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEI is committed to address climate change and will fulfil its international obligations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, said the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources yesterday.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar said Brunei is among 32 countries that have ratified the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, which requires parties to ensure they meet CO2 emission reduction targets by 2020.

The minister was speaking at a climate change forum jointly organised by the foreign missions of Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

He added that the government has undertaken various mitigation efforts to address climate change domestically, despite contributing only 0.02 per cent to net global CO2 emissions.

Such initiatives include the Heart of Borneo, promoting green building and integrating environmentally-friendly policies into national development projects.

“As a country party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, Brunei Darussalam has, and will continue to play its role in fulfilling its obligations and commitments in addressing climate change and its impacts.”

The forum is part of European efforts to highlight the importance of climate change issues, in the run up to the Climate Conference (CO21) in Paris this December.

In a joint statement, French Ambassador Loan Forgeron, German Ambassador Roland Grafe and British High Commissioner David Campbell, said: “2015 is a decisive year for climate negotiations. We need to achieve an ambitious international agreement to limit global temperature rises to below two degrees centigrade”.

“Today’s climate change forum is an opportunity to exchange views with Brunei Darussalam on the preparatory work needed to achieve a successful outcome at the Paris Conference.”

The forum, held at the Radisson Hotel, featured presentations from Philippe Zeller, France’s ambassador-at-large for climate negotiations in Asia and Oceania; Dr Weerawat Chantarakome, CEO of Brunei National Energy Research Institute; as well as a panel discussion with officials from Brunei’s Ministry of Development.

The Brunei Times