Laos

03 September 2020

Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment

・Mr. Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

・I would like to first extend my sincere congratulations and appreciations to Minister KOIZUMI Shinjiro and UNFCCC secretariat for your join efforts to launch this Online Platform on Sustainable and Resilient Recovery from COVID-19;

・Lao PDR has taken a significant measure to fight against COVID-19 since early this year. As a result, Lao PDR had only 22 cases affected by COVID-19, no death reported, and only 1 patient is currently hospitalized;

・Fighting against COVID-19 consumes a lot of capital and disrupts our economic growth. As similar as many countries, we have to set our national priority to our people’s safety;

・Nevertheless, the Lao Government affirms that even though the country confronts with COVID-19 pandemic crisis, which down turns our economy, the Lao PDR still has high ambition to achieve its climate change targets, mainstreamed in its 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan, National Green Growth Strategy and 2020 updated NDC;

・Like other signatory states of the Paris Agreement, 2020 is the milestone year for Lao PDR to submit its renewed NDC to the UNFCCC including revised mitigation and adaptation targets. We believe that with national efforts combined with international cooperation, we will be able to come along together to achieve our goals;

・The 2020 updated NDC will contribute to serve the country’s post COVID-19 economic recovery by increasing resilience and accelerating decarbonization. It brings forward enhanced action with the aim of strengthening Lao PDR’s response to the threat of climate change;

・The new NDC introduces an unconditional GHG mitigation commitment to 2030, as well as a more ambitious conditional mitigation scenario towards achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050, subject to international support;

・2015 NDC targets have been updated and extended, including to new sectors (energy efficiency, agriculture, waste);

・The 2020 NDC will provide increased transparency and consistency between quantitative targets, new short-term objectives for climate change adaptation towards a strengthened measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) system, as well as the country’s expression of interest to pursue voluntary cooperation to allow for higher ambition, in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

・Lady and gentleman, COVID may stay long in our world, so we have to live in new normal in our working lives. We need to promote the utilization of VDO conferencing more than in the past. With the difficulties in travelling, external experts may find obstacles to come over to protect countries. With this new normal we kindly suggest a redesign that replacement of overseas experts by local staffs or local experts where possible.

I thank you for your attention.