The United Nations Climate Change Conference that will take place in Durban in 28 Nov / 9 Dec 2011 will bring together representatives of all Parties as well as international organizations and civil society. With a comprehensive agenda that follows the Bali Action Plan agreed at COP 13 and includes the Cancun Decisions, the discussions will be held in two tracks, COP17 - LCA and CMP7 - KP and will seek to make progress in the implementation of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol.

Argentina took over the Chair of the Group of 77 and China in January 2011, for a year, and has chaired the Group throughout the preparatory process for this Climate Summit.   The Group of 77 and China, which comprises 132 developing countries from all regions of the world, will be meeting this  weekend ( Nov 26-27) prior to the inauguration of the Conference in order to better assess the challenges ahead and find formulas for progress. The Group will continue to meet regularly throughout the two weeks of meeting to coordinate positions and maintain its role as an engine for progress in these negotiations. Ambassador Argüello, Chair of the Group of 77 and China and Permanent Representative of Argentina to the UN, as well as other high officials in the Delegation of Argentina, expects to maintain a fluent communication with the media and civil society bringing the voice of the developing countries.

There is some confidence in some quarters  that the progress made in Panama could translate into concrete agreements in Durban. others doubt that.

The African leaders have expressed in different forums that Durban cannot become the grave of the Kyoto Protocol, and the Group are completely supportive of that ambition and of the leadership of South Africa as the host of the Summit.

On the other hand, reports from official and international private studies show that the world could be losing the battle against climate change, with rising temperatures, increased frequency of extreme weather events and increasingly worrying levels of greenhouse emissions. In 2005, when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol for the reduction of greenhouse gases came to force, carbon emissions were estimated at 45 billion tons of CO2 equivalents. In 2009, that became 48 billion and, at the current rate, it will climb to 56 billion by 2020.

The Group of 77 and China understands that this Conference in South Africa is an important opportunity to find a viable agreement for a Second Commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol, maintaining high level of ambition and legally binding obligations for developed countries. Once the political agreement can be reached, the issue of a possible legal gap between both commitment periods, due to technical reasons, needs also to be addressed.

We are also working to ensure that both the Adaptation Committee and the Financial Mechanism and the Technology Mechanism are fully operational this year.

The Group of 77 and China will seek an outcome that is comprehensive and balanced, i.e. that includes concrete progress both under the Convention and for the Kyoto Protocol, and that shows balance among the negotiation tracks and within the agenda of issues to be tackled. A successful outcome must also respect the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities.

In Durban we will see if developed countries are ready to show their commitment and make the perhaps difficult political decisions to preserve the multilateral climate change rules-based system that we all defend.