National Statement at UNFCCC COP22

Mr President, Ministers, colleagues.

I extend Australia's appreciation to Morocco forhosting this important conference.

Australia is a strong supporter of the ParisAgreement. We ratified the Agreement last week and welcome its entry intoforce.

Australia has also ratified the Kyoto ProtocolSecond Commitment Period.

Success depends on our actionsand Australia is on track to meet indeed exceed, our 2020 target.

Our 2030 target will halve our per capita emissionsand reduce emissions by two-thirds per unit of GDP.

Australia is also supportingother countries reduce emissions through their Nationally DeterminedContributions, with around 100 NDCs identifying the land sector as a priority.

Yesterday I announced a newinitiative. Australia's $16 million Indo-Pacific Land Action Package will helpcountries strengthen land management, fund public-private sector partnerships,and achieve greater coordination through the NDC Partnership launched inMarrakesh.

This is complemented by a $2million contribution to the Global Environment Facility's Capacity BuildingInitiative for Transparency.

As co-chair of the GreenClimate Fund Australia is working to ensure the effectiveness and impact offunding, to leverage the private sector and to improve countries' access tofunds, particularly for the Pacific.

We welcome the $100 billionRoadmap and the impact it will have in mobilising private sector capital.

Australia has committed $1billion dollars in climate finance over the next few years.

Australia is also pushing intonew frontiers, working with business and industry to increase the impact ofpublic funding.

For example, Australia has invested $32 million inthe Private Infrastructure Development Group to lower the perceived risk ofenergy infrastructure in parts of Asia, to make them more attractive to privateinvestors.

Through this group, and building on investorconfidence, a hydropower project in Vietnam is now delivering 30 megawatts ofclean power, benefiting up to 130,000 people.

In addition, our International Partnership for BlueCarbon is focused on coastal ecosystems for mitigation, adaptation, foodsecurity and livelihoods.

We also support the work of the International CoralReef Initiative to make the world's coral reefs more resilient, complemented byAustralia's world leading Reef 2050 Plan for the protection of the GreatBarrier Reef, backed by a $2 billion fund.

I also welcome the phase down in the use ofhydrofluorocarbons under the Montreal Protocol, which Australia co-chaired withothers through the negotiations.

Australia has joined the International CivilAviation Organization's carbon reductions scheme, which will see airlinesoffset emissions growth beyond 2020.

A growing number of nations have agreed to reduceshipping emissions through the work of the International Maritime Organization.

The long term challenge is integrating our climateactions across policy, business and industry decisions to achieve the globaltransition we signed up to last year.

Australia is committed to thislong-term goal and we look forward to working across the climate landscape tomake this happen.