Climate Change Impacts on Reservoir based Hydropower Generation in Nepal

In principle Nepal’s hydropower potential is impressive due to rugged mountain terrain from which snow and rain fed rivers produce significant amount of seasonal water flow. Owing to this natural hydrological processes, Nepal projected an image since 1970s that this country has one of the richest hydropower potential in the world through which the country would be able to alleviate poverty by bringing socio-economic transformation of the Nepali society. This potentiality was compared with the wealth of some oil-rich Gulf countries. After 40 years, the country is still struggling hard to meet the domestic energy demand, and the once popular national slogan that ‘Nepal is rich hydropower potential with 83000 MW’ is no more exist. Completed in late 1980s, Kulekhani hydro electricity plant (KHEP) became a showcase example of hydropower development, which is the first and only reservoir based hydropower plan in the country. A strong cloudburst of July 1993 seriously hit the plant as its penstock pipes were swept away and seriously reduced water holding capacity of the reservoir due to sediment deposit. In the project design document, such risks were ruled out and, the watershed has been identified as one of the safe zone from any extreme climatic events. The event had a huge impact on the other projects under pipeline. Since then 18 years have passed but no new reservoir-based hydropower plants are built. This is a rationale behind selection of KHEP as a study site for this case study.

In the context of growing impacts of climate change on water bodies and hydrologic cycles, study on prospects of reservoir based hydropower in Nepal are highly desirable. Storing water in reservoir is one of the globally recommended options to tackle climate change impacts on hydrologic cycle. In this case, the reservoir based hydropower that accumulates water during rainy season and produces electricity throughout the year, is one among the best options to address the current problem of seasonal power shortage. Even though, various reports has suggested further study on this sector, in Nepal, the effects of climate change on this valuable resource remain questionable.

This study mainly focuses on the hydrological and weather time series data in relationship with discharge, level of water in the reservoir and energy generation,. With the allowable 4 % error level, 30 years of rainfall data from 1980 to 2009 of nearby rainfall stations were analyzed. Findings show that, Kulekhani receives 78% of rainfall during monsoon (June-September), the water accumulated during t

Nepal’s Statement in the High Level Segment of COP 17

By Dipesh Chapagain ( from Durban, South Africa)

“There is a need for a stronger political commitment beyond narrow short term interest, we should not let our people down”, Hon. Environment Minister Hemraj Tater, Government of Nepal stressed in his statement in high level segment of the UN climate change conference (COP 17/CMP 7) in Durban, South Africa on December 7, 2011.

Hon. Environment Minister Hem Raj Tater, speaking at High Level Segment of COP17

 

In his statement, Minister Tater expressed his solidarity to the statements made by the Argentina on behalf of G77 & China and Gambia on behalf of the LDCs. He highlighted the principle of equity, justice and global solidarity for the survival and well beings of the most vulnerable people. The major agendas that Nepal laid emphasis on the high level segments are

1. Implementation of the outcomes from Bali and Cancun climate conference
2. Substantial progress on Adaptation, Mitigation, Finance, Technology transfer and development and capacity build-up
3. Second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol to limit the global temperature rise below 1.5° C
4. Operationalisation of the  Cancun Adaptation Framework, Technology Mechanism and Green Climate Fund with due priority to LDCs under the authority and guidance of COP
5. Replenishment of the LDCF and other climate change funds with easy and fast access to NAPA implementation and preparation and implementation of NAPs
6. Consider REDD + and CDM as important instrument for sustainable development and poverty reduction
7. Simplify and make specific rules and procedure on CDM to the LDCs

Hon. Minister stated that “despite our limited capabilities, we have recognized adaptation as a National Survival Strategy to protect our people, livelihood and ecosystems”. He committed to begun to develop the urgent and immediate adaptation actions within NAPA with 80 % of the budget channelled to the local level in keeping with the National Framework on Local Adaptation Programme of Action (LAPA). The minister also commits to promote the clean and renewable energy development path to reduce the green house gases emission.

He also reminds the initiation of the Mountain Initiative by Nepal in Copenhagen on 2009.  Issues of declining snow cover and retreating glacier in the mountain and vulnerability of the poor people residing in mountainous areas was given major emphasis in the statement. To highlight the agenda of mountain and develop the cooperation among the mountainous country, the Government of Nepal also organized a side event in COP 17 on December 5 with representation from many countries.

In his concluding remarks, the minister urged that “there must be shift from the pledge-based approach to a result based approach”.

 

Experiencing the UNFCCC Negotiation

I started my involvement in this never ending climate change negotiation since 2009 from the COP 15, Copenhagen, Denmark. After completely two years, I am here in this beautiful city of Durban, South Africa to attend another most awaited united nation climate change conference – COP 17/CMP 7. With the slogan “Working Together, Saving Tomorrow Today”, the COP 17 already started in Durban from 28 November 2011. Around 20,000 delegates from more than 190 countries are gathered here for this mega event and billions of people all over the worlds are keeping their eye open on it.

Future of the Kyoto Protocol, long term cooperation under the UNFCCC, technology mechanism to promote clean energy and adaptation related technology, adaptation framework, green climate fund, etc are the major agenda for the COP 17. The outgoing president of the COP, Patricia Espinosa urged to the negotiators in opening plenary of the COP 17 that “action and leadership from all in this room to find a common solution to secure the future of generations to come is required”. Mr. Jacob Juma, the President of the Republic of South Africa in his opening speech clearly mentioned that “adaptation is a key priority for the SIDS, LDCs and African Countries”. He also added that the COP 17 outcomes must be recognised that solving the climate change cannot be separated from the eradicating poverty.

Nepali Delegates Meeting in Durban

It is also nice to see quite good numbers (around 50) of Nepali attending this conference. This can really help to raise the issue of our concern in this international negotiation. Even though it is not enough, there were little home works before the COP. The two days intensive climate change negotiation workshop and pre COP consultations by Climate Change Network Nepal (CCNN) and also by the Ministry of Environment were much helpful. Regular communication among the Nepali delegates through email groups is also very helpful in sharing information and better coordination. We organized the first Nepali meeting in Durban with good participation and initial discussion. However, discussion on the domestic issues and de-satisfaction in this overseas venue almost ruined the energy and expectations of the meeting.

Anyway, I am hopeful for some good outcomes on the international climate change negotiation as well as some learning’s for the Nepali delegates to be united in this kind of international forum.

(Dipesh Chapagain is following the climate negotiation in Durban, South Africa)

जलबायु परिवर्तन: राजनीतिक लात्ते भकुन्डो र मेरा मनका कुरा

-मुकेश

३५०’ प्रिथिवीलाई दिगो रुपमा जलबायु परिवर्तन को चपेटा बाट जोगाउन को लागी बायुमन्डलमा हुनु पर्ने कार्बनडाइअक्साइडको मात्रा हो यो। तर ३५० आज कार्बनडाइअक्साइडको मात्रा मात्र नभै विश्व राजनीतिको HOT Cake भएको छ। नासाका प्रतिष्ठित बैज्ञानीकजेम्स ई. हेन्सनले सन २००१मा बिभिन्न मोडेल हरुको लामो अध्ययन बाट निकालेको हो यो नम्बर, तेसैले पनि यो बैज्ञानीक छ। तर जो आज तिनै मोडेल हरुको विश्वाशनियता प्रश्न उठाउनेको सँख्या पनि धेरै छ। यस बर्गमा पनि नामचलेका युनिभर्सिटीका अब्बल प्रोफेसर हरु छन, जो धनी पश्चिमा मुलुकका पुजीँबादी अर्थतन्त्रका डिजाइनर हरु हुन। तेसैले जो जलबायु परिवर्तनको अध्ययनमा निस्कन्छ, एउटा लेभल (बिज्ञानको लेभल) पार गरेपछी जब राजनिती बुझ्न खोज्छ उसले आँफैलाई हराएको पाँउछ।

बिभिन्न अध्ययन हरुले देखाए अनुसार अहिले प्रिथिबिको तापक्रम अनपेक्षित ढंग बाट बढी रहेको छ, तर इतिहासमा यो रुपमा तापक्रम बढेको भने पहिलो पटक होइन। धर्का र थोप्लाका रुपमा कोरिएका तथ्यान्क हरुलाई हेर्ने हो भने, भने तापक्रम बड्ने अनी घट्ने क्रम निरन्तर रुपमा देख्न सकिन्छ। तेसैले कुनै बैज्ञानीक अथवा अभियानकर्ताले भबिस्यमा यो रुपमा तापक्रम बड्छ भनेर दाबी गर्‍यो भने एउटा सामान्य बिज्ञान र तथ्यान्कको जानकारी भएको विद्यार्थीले उक्त दाबिलाई चुनोउती दिन सक्छ। यती हुँदा हुँदै पनि हाम्रोलागी पश्चिमा बैज्ञानीकका तर्क हरुमा विश्वाश गरेर जानुको बिकल्प छैन।

बिबादको बिषय:
प्रिथिबी को तापक्रम कती सम्म बढ्न दिए ठिक होला ?
१.५ डिग्री, २ डिग्री, ३ डिग्री ? अनी कुन देसले कती हरितग्रिह ग्यास उत्सर्जन कटोउती गर्ने? आजको समग्र विश्व-जलबायु परिवर्तनको राजनीति प्राबिधिक रुपमा निकै कठिन देखिने यिनै अमुर्त प्रश्न हरु मा जेलिएको छ। सन २००७ मा इन्डोनेशियाको बाली बाट सन २०१२ पछीको मार्गचित्रको कोर्न निक्लिएका बातावरणका नेता हरुको लिगलिगे यात्रा पोजनान, कोपनहेगन हुँदै यो बर्ष मेक्सिकोको क्यानकन पुग्दा पनि टुङिन सकेन र समग्रमा भन्नु पर्दा सन २०११ मा साउथ अफ्रिकमा गएर त्यो यात्रा काँचको घर जस्ताइ टुट्ने निस्चित देखिन्छ। यो कुनै हाइपोथेसिस भन्दापनी अहिले सम्म्को घटनाको बिकासक्रमले पनि तेही देखाउछ। क्यानकन कोपको निर्णय बाट सबै भन्दा खुशी अमेरिका भयो र भारत, चिन र ब्राजिल जस्ता देसहरुले उसको खुशीमा साथ दिए। अमेरिकाका प्रतिनिधी हरुले मात्रा यो सम्म्मेलन लाई उनिहरुले सोचे जस्ताइ पाए, चिन र भारतको भागमा केही पर्यो होला तर जो गरीब राष्ट्रहरु आज सबैभन्दा खतरामा रहेका छन उनी हरु ‘डायस’ मा बसेका भलादमिका कुरालाई ताली पड्काएर समर्थन गर्न वाध्य भए। सन १९९७ मा जापानको क्योटोमा तेस्रो कोप मा जारी भएको क्योटो प्रोटोकल ले संसारका ठुला बडा प्रदुसक देसहरुलाई हरितग्रिह ग्यासको कटौती गर्ने लक्ष दिएको थियो। कतीपय युरोपेली राष्ट्रहरुले उक्त प्रोटोकलमा बाधीएर आफ्नो लक्ष पुरा गरेपनी संसारको सबै भन्दा बढी(१/३) प्रदुसण गर्ने राष्ट्र संयुक्त राज्य

अमेरिकाले हस्ताक्षर गर्नु भन्दा अगाडिनै निस्कृय भइसकेको छ। तर यही कुरालाई आज पनि क्योटो प्रोटोकल सकृय छ भनेर दाबी गर्ने स्वार्थी हरुको जमात पनि बिकसित र बिकासउन्मुख देस ठुलै छ। हो कागजी रुपमा यो सकृया छ तर, यसको अन्त्य भने हिजो संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाले हस्ताक्षर गर्न अस्विकार गर्दा नै भएको हो। तत्कालिन अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपती जर्ज डब्लु बुसले प्रस्ट रुपमा अमेरिकि संसदमा भनेका छन, अमेरिकाले आफ्नो अर्थतन्त्रमा असार पर्ने गरी कुनै पनि बातावरणिय सम्झौतामा हस्ताक्षर गर्दैन, तेसैले क्योटो प्रोटोकलमा पनि हस्ताक्षर गर्दैन। तेसैले यो नै अमेरिकि निती हो, बाराक ओबामा अथवा अरु को नै किन नाआउन।

अर्को पक्षमा राजनीति भन्दा पर गएर सोच्ने हो भने प्रिथिबिको तापक्रम दिनानुदिन बढी रहेको छ। जसले गर्दा आज सम्पूर्ण जिब हरुको अस्तित्वनै संकटमा पर्न लागेको छ। पृथ्वीको तापक्रम प्राकृतिकरुपमा बदने प्रकृया सँगइ मानबिय कृयाकलाप बाट सिर्जित हरितग्रिह ग्यास हरुको कारणले बढी रहेको छ। तेसमा पनि बिकसित र आर्थिक रुपमा सम्मुन्नत राष्ट्रहरुको भूमिका बढी छ। । प्रिथिबिको उत्पती देखिनै तापक्रममा तल माथी हुनेक्रम प्राकृतिक देखिए पनि पछील्लो समयमा पहिलो र दोस्रो औढोगिक क्रान्ती पछी कार्बन डाइ अक्साइडको मात्रा अनेपेक्षित रुपमा बढेको देखिन्छ र जस सँग सँगइ पृथ्वीको तापक्रम पनि बधेको हुनाले पनि मानबिय कृयाकलापलाई दोस दिने आधार हरु बलिया भएका हुन र प्रिथ्विको सिङो प्राकृतिक प्रकृयाले पनि यस्लाई झन जटिल बनाइदिएको छ।

दैनिक जनजिबनमा देखिएको असर देखी बिभिन्न बैज्ञानीक प्रमाण हरुले आज तापमान ब्रिदिलाई बिबादहिन तथ्य बनाइदिएका छन। । तापक्रम ब्रिदीका असर प्राकृतिक जतिलता एबं आर्थिक कारणले गर्दा दछिणी गोलार्धका राष्ट्र हरुमा बढी देखिन्छ। भबिस्यको अन्दाज अहिलेनै गर्न मुस्किल भएपनी उत्तरी गोलार्धका बिकसित राष्ट्रहरु, गरीब राष्ट्रको अर्थतन्त्र धरासयी भएर त्यहाँको प्राकृतिक सम्पदा, एबं जिबनसैली अप्ठ्यारो अबस्थामा पुगी सक्दा पनि, सुरछित नै देखिन्छन। सामान्य उदाहरणको रुपमा दक्षिण एसियालाई लिन सकिन्छ। जल बायु परिवर्तनमा काम गरी रहेको बैज्ञानीक हरुको ‘संस्था’ IPCC भन्छ नेपालको हिमालयमा सन २०३५ पछी हिउँ देख्न पाइने छैन। २० पटक सगरमाथा चढेका आप्पा शेर्पा को कथन पनि त्यो सँग मिल्न जान्छ अर्थात उनी प्रतेक पटक सगरमाथा उक्लिदा हिउँ घटी रहेको अनुभुती गर्छन्। IPCC को दाबी सत्य ठरिएमा हामी नेपालीको भबिस्य के होला? अनी नेपाली बैज्ञानीक हरिमान श्रेष्ठले देख्नु भएको ८३,000 मेगावाट बिजुलिको सपना? दस बर्षमा १०,००० मेगावाट र २० बर्षमा ३०,००० मेगावाट बिजुली निकालेर बेचेर धनी हुने हाम्रा राजनेता हरुको सपना? यि सबै सपना नै हुनेछन र ईतिहासका रुपमा भाबी पिढिले पढ्ने छन। । त्यो बाहेक असार साउनको खहरे र भेलमा आधारित नेपालको कृषि अर्थतन्त्र अनी जैबिक बिबिधतामा बिश्वकै धनी को रुपमा नेपालले बनाएको परिचय- यि सबै ईतिहास बन्ने निस्चित छ। यो सँग सँगै दक्षिण एसियामा पानी युद्ध चर्किने देखिन्छ। हिमालय पर्बत र तिबेतियन प्लेटुबाट सुरु हुँदै बङगालको खाडी सम्म बग्ने नदी हरुले एउटा राष्ट्रको लागि मात्र नभ्एर सिङो दक्षिण एसियाको लागिनै सामरिक महत्व बोकेका छन । ब्रम्हापुत्र नदि तिब्बतमा नै बाँध बाँधेर आफ्नै देस तिर फर्काउने चिनिया योजना जुन चिन को राष्ट्रिय नितिको दस्ताबेज “स्वयत पत्र अर्थात White Paper” मा नै उल्लेख भई सकेको छ। र कोशीमा उच्च बाँध बाँध्न भारत लाई लागेको हतारोले पनि धेरै महत्व बोक्छन। तेस बाहेक बङगलादेस सँग बर्सोउ देखी चलिरहेको भारतको वाक युद्ध, अनी जम्बु-कास्मिरको असान्ती यि सबै जलस्रोतमा स्वामित्व स्थापित गर्नको लागि भएका देखिन्छन। यस्ता गतिबिधी हरु प्रसस्त रुपमा विश्वभरी ब्यापक छन। जसले संसारलाई अर्को युद्ध तिर धकेलिरहेको छ र जल बायु परिवर्तनले तेसलाई गोडमेल गर्ने काम गरेको छ।

तापक्रम ब्रिधीको असर जहाँ जे जस्तो देखिये पनि एउटा मानबको रुपमा सोच्दा देस, भासा, संस्क्रिती फरक भए पनि सबैको साझा सपना भनेको प्रिथ्विको तापक्रम घटाउनु पर्छ भन्ने नै हो। । अमेरिकि नागरिक बाराक ओबामा जे चाहन्छन, सुडानका भोकमरी पीडित आदिबासी र आधा भन्दा बढी राष्ट्रको भुभाग समुन्द्रमुनी भएको देस टुभालु दिपका (सार्बभौम राष्ट्र टुभालु आज जनता, सरकार, मुद्रा लगायत सबै कुरा भएको तर भुभाग नभएको मुलुकको रुपमा परीचित हुन लागेको छ। ) सिँगाने केटाकेटीको सपना उही हो। ‘बातावरणिय रुपमा सुरछित विश्व र सुरछित भबिस्य’ . जुन तथ्यलाई आज जल बायु परिवर्तन राजनीतिका खेलाडी हरुले पनि स्विकार गरेका छन र ‘Shared vision’ को रुपमा जलबायु परिवर्तनका दस्ताबेज हरुमा लिपिबद्ध गरेका छन। तर तेही साझा सपनालाई कसरी पुरा गर्ने भन्ने मार्ग चित्रको निर्माणनै आज मुख्य जटिलताको रुपमा अगाढी आएको छ।

हिजो क्योटो प्रोटोकल को जन्म जुन आधारमा टेकेर जुन भएको थियो , आज बिश्वको अर्थतन्त्र एबम राजनीति ले धेरै कोल्टे फेरी सकेको छ। क्योटो प्रोटोकलले भारत र चाइना जस्ता देस हरुलाई प्रदुसण गर्ने छुट दिएको थियो, त्यो कुरा अमेरिकालाई मान्य हुन सकेन। तर आज अमेरिका- भारत, चिन र ब्राजिल जस्ता देसलाई लगाम लाएर आफु छुट चाहन्छ, भने भारत, चीन र ब्राजिल मोर्चाबन्दी गरेर जसरी पनि अमेरिकालाई तह लाउने र आफुले छुट पाउने दाउमा देखिन्छ, तेसैले पनि संसारका सबैलाई मान्य हुने निर्णयमा पुग्न नसकिने निस्चित देखिन्छ। तर खतरा भनेको यही बाद बिबाद र अनिर्णयताको बिचमा भारत, चीन, ब्राजिल र अमेरिका एक भएर संसारका सबै नागरिकको भबिस्यलाई अन्धकार बनाइदिने सम्भाबना पनि छ। तेतिबेला विश्व बातावरणका नेता हरु यिनै चार देसको मुद्धामा हस्ताछेर गरेर घर फर्कने छन, र उनिहरुको उपस्थिती एउटा यात्रा अनुभब साटसाट बाहेक केहीमा पनि काम लाग्ने छैन। यो सन २०१२ को कोप सम्मेलनमा हुनेछ, तेतिबेला बातावरणको राजनीति पैसा अनी धम्किको राजनीतिमा परिवर्तन हुनेछ।

अहिले नै पनि हिजो बिश्व प्रिथ्वी सम्मेलनले देखेको सुरछित विश्वको सपना पैसाको राजनीतिमा परिवर्तन भै सकेको छ। धनी राष्ट्र हरु हरित गृह ग्यासको कटोउती गर्ने भन्दा पनि जो बोल्छ उस्को मुखमा अनुकुलनताको नाममा पैसाको मुठो फ्याकिदिरहेका छन र गरीब देस हरु पनि आफ्नो राष्ट्रिय मुद्धा बिर्सिएर, को सँग मोर्चा बन्दी गर्दा बढी झर्छ भन्ने दाउमा छन। तर बिडम्बना भनेको ति धनी राष्ट्रका नागरिकले दिनरात मेहनत गरेर कमाएर सरकार लाई कर तिरेको रकम गरीब देसको अनुकुलनताको लागि भनिए पनि एउटा सिमित समुहको हातबाट दुरुपायोग भै रहेको छ। गरीब देसका रास्ट्रिय नेता र सरकार हरु यो बिषयमा तेती जानकार पनि छैनन. गरीब देसहरुको आन्तरिक राजनीति कलह अनी बिषयगत कमजोरी का कारण उती धेरै चासो नदिनुले पनि नहुनु मामा भन्दा कानो मामा जातिको रुपमा ग्रिन फन्डको रुपमा प्राप्त हुने सहयोग प्रतेछ रुपमा पीडित समुदाय सम्म पुग्नु भन्दा पनि अगाडि नै कागजी काममा सकिने गरेको छ। ।

सरसर्ती हेर्दा मानिसको लागि आफु बिकास र परिवर्तन गर्दै जुन ठाउँमा पुगेको हुन्छ, त्यहाँ भन्दा पछाडि फर्केर पछील्लो पुस्ताको जस्तो जिबनसैली अपनाउनु अस्म्भब जस्ताइ हो। । आज धनी देसका जनताले जुन किसिमको जिबन्स्तर जिएका छन, उनीहरु त्यहाँ बाट पछाडि जाने अबस्थामा देखिदैनन। “GO Green को अबधारणा अन्तर्गत साइकल चढ्नु प्रेरणागत रुपमा त ठिक होला तर साइकल नै चढेर तापक्रम घटाऊनु पर्छ भन्ने अबधारणा हास्यस्पद बाहेक केही पनि होइन। समस्या त्यो भन्दा धेरै अगाडि पुगी सकेको छ। तर बिडम्बना नेपाल लगायताका गरीब देसमा तेही साइकलको अबधारणा बिक्री भै रहेको छ। धनी देसका जनता आफु महिना पिछे फेरी फेरी कार चड्छन र गरीब देशका जनतालाई साइकल उपहार दिएकोमा गर्ब गर्छन्। उनिहरु GO Green भन्ने शब्दलाई जती प्रयोगमा ल्याएपनी आफुले चढी रहेको कार, तेही मुल्यमा अर्को बिकल्प तयार नभए सम्म छोड्न राजी छैनन। कोइलाको मुल्यमा सौर्य उर्जा नपाउन्जेल घरमा सौर्य उर्जा जडान गर्न मान्ने छैनन। तेसैले जस्ले जता जती सुकै कराएपनी जब सम्म technological revolution हुँदैन तबसम्म हिजोको इन्दुस्त्रिअल रेवोलुतिओन ले निम्त्याएको सम्स्या समधान हुने छैन। तेसैले आज बिश्वलाई प्रब्रिधी चाहिएको छ तेसलाई विश्वब्यापी बनाउनको लागि मानब-मानब बिचमा अपनत्वको भावना चाहिएको छ। धनी रास्ट्र हरु अझै २-३ सताब्दिकोलागी सुरछित होलान तर गरीब देसका नागरिकको भबिस्य दसकमा ” काउन्ट डाउन” हुन थालि सकेको छ। भोक तिर्खा र रोगले मानिस भटाभटी मर्ने छन। तेसैले यसलाई राजनीतिक भकुण्डो भन्दा पनि अन्तरास्ट्रिय सुरक्षाको चुनौतीको रुपमा लिएर बेबहारिक रुपमा कार्यन्वयन गर्नु पर्ने देखिछ.

Loans for Climate?

By Rishi

Another take on climate finance

A debate raged in the Nepali and Bangladeshi civil societies regarding the decision by the two governments to participate in the Pilot Program on Climate Resilience (PPCR) of the World Bank. The fundamental purpose of the PPCR is to pilot ways in which climate resilience can be integrated into the ‘core development agenda’. The reason for the controversy is simple- these countries agreed to the optional loan component of the program. As the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) meet this weekend, there has been some effort to put pressure on the British government (one of the primary supporters of the PPCR) for providing funds as capital. It’s worth looking at this issue again as we can expect similar debates to rage in other countries as well.

First, climate resilience straddles across adaptation and regular development assistance. The fundamental design revolves around integrating climate considerations into development policies and programs. From a climate justice perspective, it is a total outcry to ask a least developed country to take out a loan to pay for integrating climate change related aspects into its development programs. Furthermore, prima facie, on the part of the countries, the decision to ask for a loan in the assistance package is in contradiction with the long held LDC position that adaptation financing should be grants and not loans (more on this later).

Second, loans for what purpose exactly? I believe this should be one of the central questions of the debate. If the loan is for technical assistance only, the charges leveled against the program are valid. However, if the loan is a means to engage the private sector in climate resilience activities, loans may not be all that bad. If the loan goes to productive investments that the private sector is willing to make, this is in fact a good thing. Governments, by taking out these concessional loans (on extremely favorable terms- read 0.1 per cent interest for 40 years) can make funds available to private entities on a very cost competitive basis- domestic capital markets in these countries simply can’t match such favorable terms. This also explains the reason why the Ministries of Finance find this package very attractive- they normally don’t see such favorable loan terms. I think the civil society has played an important role in shining the spotlight on these types of assistance programs, but we must also remember that the devil is always in the details.

Third, something that has gotten completely lost in the debate is the critical question of how much adaptation will really cost countries like Nepal and how the financing can be mobilized. Based on the report prepared by the High Level Advisory Group on Climate Finance, it should be abundantly clear that grant based funding alone cannot meet the levels of financing that developing countries need to pursue climate resilient low carbon growth paths. Funds will have to be raised from a variety of sources, including carbon abatement revenues, leveraged by the Multialteral Development Banks. Hence, while it makes sense to push and advocate for hundred per cent grant based funding, I’ll leave the reader to decide how practical this really is.

Furthermore, the slow progress of UNFCCC underscores the need to vitalize other options for climate finance. The UNFCCC has been moving very slowly and we will have to wait for a number of years before key components of the global climate architecture are formalized- even the 100 billion dollar Green Climate Fund won’t be of enough scale. As a result, the role of multilateral development banks is crucial in helping to fill this gap as well as to provide essential input based on their experience with pilot funds.

All of this firmly makes the case for innovative sources of funds. Financial Transactions Tax (FTTs) on speculative transactions could generate the scale of funding necessary and has the potential of finally relieving developing countries from having to rely purely on regular ODA (which can be highly uncertain and of insufficient scale and of varying degrees of country ownership). Without such out of the box financing strategies, it’s easy to suspect that climate finance will suffer the same fate of ODA by being limited and far short of target levels.

We can’t keep our eyes off the big question of how to address adaptation, particularly through development programs. It will no longer be able to distinguish climate funding from development funding as a key measure to increase the resilience of vulnerable countries to climate change is by taking the development agenda forward (and making sure it happens in a climate sensitive way). This big picture needs to be kept in mind as this will help us guide what the sources of financing could be, who could play what role, and how development planning can be synchronized.

The fundamental metric for any sort of financing should be whether it builds enough national and local capacity to tackle on the challenges of climate change and prepares ground for the tremendous shift in the development trajectory we’re currently in.

Original Post: http://www.whatswiththeclimate.org/2011/06/25/loans-for-climate/

Please read the NYCA position on financing Pilot Program for Climate Resilient (PPCR) 

NYCA Position on PPCR loan

Join Facebook group: Say NO to Climate Loans

Agenda to discuss on agenda at Bonn Climate Talk !

Blogging from Bonn Climate Talk

Cancun set an excellent example how the outstanding leadership of a host country could effectively shape the discourse. With the Cancun Agreement as an output on the table, many issues need further discussion and more political willingness. As a follow-up for next year, discussion started from Bangkok on last April. Agenda became main agenda for Bangkok Climate Talk. The week long discussing went around only discussing agendas of Ad-hoc Working Groups and finally succeeded. Now we are at Bonn, Germany climate capital, where world meets every year to talk about climate.

I feel really embarrass and discomfort to open up this story of Bonn Meeting. We discussed on agenda for Subsidiary Bodies (SBs) on first week and are now discussing on where the next meeting should be held. Now let’s go one my one: first on the agenda and on the next meeting issues. This would be best agenda to discuss.

One of the reasons to open-up the discussion on the agenda was because of some new proposals from some countries such as water resources, blue carbon, agriculture, and the rights of nature and ecosystems. Finally, parties agreed to work on the understanding that consultations would continue.

Papua New Guinea attempt to push Blue Carbon in an agenda by introducing it as an effective solution to reduce atmospheric CO2 by conserving water plants which dubbed carbon sequestration more effectively (up to 100 times faster) and more permanently than terrestrial forests. Likewise, Bolivia called for a space to discuss the impacts of