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.
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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.
