Bill Text: HI HCR59 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: United Nations; Climate Change Conference; Taiwan Participation
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-2)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-04-13 - (S) Referred to TIA/ENE. [HCR59 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2012-HCR59-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
59 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
URGING THE UNITED NATIONS TO GRANT TAIWAN PARTICIPATION AS AN OBSERVER IN THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES.
WHEREAS, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Convention) is an international environmental treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development; and
WHEREAS, the parties to the Convention have met annually from 1995 in the Conference of the Parties to assess progress in dealing with climate change. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was concluded and established legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, as of May 2011, the Convention had one hundred ninety-four member parties; and
WHEREAS, parties to the Convention are classified as Annex I countries – industrialized countries and countries with economies in transition, Annex II countries – developed countries that pay for costs of developing countries, and Non Annex I countries - developing countries; and
WHEREAS, there are forty-one Annex I countries; and
WHEREAS, although the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, is classified as an industrialized nation, that country has yet to be permitted to participate in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan aspires to have an active role in global efforts towards climate change mitigation and adaption; and
WHEREAS, as the world's largest LED manufacturer and the second largest solar cell manufacturer, Taiwan's green energy industry is helping to significantly reduce global carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan has resolved to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least thirty per cent relative to the Business-As-Usual benchmark by the year 2020; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan's participation in the Convention process would conform to the spirit and the purpose of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which acknowledges that the "global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible cooperation;" and
WHEREAS, Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration should be admitted to participate as an observer in the sessions of the Conference of the Parties, since it is qualified in matters covered by the Convention; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan has participated in the World Health Assembly as an observer since 2009; and
WHEREAS, there is increasing international support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from other countries and international governmental organizations such as the European Parliament, Central American Parliament, and the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of
the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012,
the Senate concurring, that the United Nations is urged to grant Taiwan
participation as an observer in the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change Conference of the Parties; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution
be transmitted to the Secretary of the United States Department of State,
Secretary General of the United Nations, President of the Republic of China,
Director of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and Minister of the
Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration.
United Nations; Climate Change Conference; Taiwan Participation
