Statement on commitments submitted by the delegation of Vanuatu on behalf of the States members of the Alliance of Small Island States to working Group I at the fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee.
We have the honour of submitting, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), this statement setting forth certain
elements which AOSIS believes should form the basis of the provisions of the Convention relating to Commitments.
We had hoped to join in a statement on this subject which would have been made by the delegation of Ghana on-behalf of the Group of 77. Regrettably, but through no fault of the Chairman of the Group of 77 who laboured tirelessly to promote such a statement, no such statement can be made at this time.
We feel that it is unfortunate. However, these negotiations are far too important to allow further delay in the necessary dialogue
which we hope will result in an effective framework convention to confront mankind’s most severe challenge.
We commend the Co-chair’s text and applaud the laudable efforts you and your colleague have made to point the Working Group in the right direction. We take this opportunity to set forth a few items we feel are of major importance. Thus, we propose the following:

I. The Parties shall, in accordance with the Objectives and Principles stated in the Convention, and in accordance with their
common but differentiated responsibilities, taking into account their specific national and regional development priorities and
objectives:
(a) Develop national or regional inventories of sources and sinks of Greenhouse Gases, as well as activities within their
jurisdiction or control ° that affect or are likely to affect the climate, and to update these on a regular basis;
(b) Implement national action plans, on the basis of information compiled under the Convention, aimed at reducing
the effects of human activities on the climate and submit such plans in accordance with criteria established by the Conference of the Parties.
(c) Perform environmental impact assessments with respect to projects, programmes and policies within their jurisdiction or
control including, inter alia, those on energy generation, transport, and land use, to ascertain whether such activities are likely to have an adverse impact on climate;
(d) Conduct research aimed at promoting technologies and practices that minimize the effects. of human activity on
climate and allow human society to adapt to and mitigate the adverse consequences of climate change;
(e) Cooperate with other Parties and with relevant international and intergovernmental organisations to ensure:
(i) effective implementation of the Convention,
(ii) the sharing of and free access to information,
(iii) systematic observation,
(iv) the coordination of research,
(v) effective national, regional and, global strategies for responding to climate change;
(f) Promote public education and an awareness of causes and consequences of climate change and actions that can be taken by individuals;
(g) Preserve, protect and enhance all sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, in particular carbon dioxide, within their territorial jurisdiction.
II. Developed country parties shall, in accordance with the objectives and Principles as provided in Articles ( )
(a) Stabilize their emissions of dioxide, and other Greenhouse Gases as appropriate:
(i) by the year 1995 at 1990 levels; or
(ii) by such earlier time and at such lower level as may be agreed by the Conference of the Parties, acting
on the basis of the best available scientific evidence and in accordance with the Principles established under this Convention;
(b) Reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, and other Greenhouse Gases as appropriate, on a timetable agreed by the Conference of the Parties, designed to achieve the objective of the Convention;
(c) Undertake measures to mitigate the adverse consequences of climate change, including risk assessment, implementation of energy conservation and efficiency, and the development of new, safe and renewable energy sources;
(d) Remit annual assessments and contributions to an International Climate Fund, representing new, additional and adequate financial resources that will not impact on existing multilateral or bilateral financial assistance arrangements, to provide financial assistance to developing country Parties to enable them to meet their obligations under. this Convention, and to mitigate and adapt to the adverse consequences of climate change;
(e) Transfer and provide assured access to Parties, on concessional, preferential terms, technologies and know-how required this Convention, including:
developing country and most-favoured for compliance with
(i) technologies relating to energy conservation and efficiency;
(ii) new, safe and renewable energy. technologies.
(f) Ensure that actions taken to control the effects of human
activity in the climate, and to mitigate the adverse consequences of climate change, do not damage the environment;

(III) Developing country parties shall, in accordance with the objectives and principles agreed to under this Convention and in accordance with their national Development plans, processes, objectives, and specific country conditions, take, in accordance with their capabilities, measures to address climate change, recognizing the new and additional financial resources will be needed to implement such measures