Geographical conditions
“Four-fifths of Algeria is desert and the desert advances by several kilometers annually.”
Situated on the north coast of Africa, Algeria has a total area of 2,381,741 square km. The narrow fertile coastal strip, area about 381,000 square km (16% of the country), supports the bulk of population. The southern part of the country (Sahara) extends over about 2 million square km, is arid and largely uninhabited its surface area is expanding annually by several kilometers. The sub-soil there is rich in oil and natural gas, but also in precious metals found during the recent prospecting of the Hoggar massif. The Sahara represents 97% of Algeria’s exports.
Economic Growth and Development
In early 2000s, security conditions improved marked by fewer acts of violence. These positive political and security developments were reflected in economic life. Also, increasing oil revenues improved foreign currency reserves and resulted in drops in foreign debt. The economic policies were positively reflected at different levels: Unemployment dropped to about 13 percent, family income rose, and poverty rates fell to around 6 percent. The GDP growth rate was consistently around 6 percent (now around $7400/capita), the dinar’s exchange rate stabilized, inflation remained under 3 percent, and living standards improved tangibly. (“Economic Reform & Political Openings, Lessons from Algeria”, MOHAMED RATOUL, Professor of Economics and Political Science, Shalaf University, Algeria.)
Algeria is rich in natural resources such as petroleum, natural gas, as well as iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc. However export of petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products nearly makes up the total of the country’s exporting revenue. Algeria is ranked 12th position among world’s oil exporters reaching 1.844 million bbl/day (2005 est.), and has natural gas output of 82.8 billion cubic meters.
GHG emissions
The electricity production sector emits the largest portion of Algeria’s GHG (24.9%) however this might have changed in last few years due to a significant shift to natural gas as a main fuel. The second largest emission source is transportation (11.3%) and third is industry (including constructions) emitting 9.7%. Algeria contributes 0.7 % of total global gas emissions.
Potential Impacts of Climate Change
Because of the high population density and concentration of arable land in the North, these impacts will likely be felt the worst there. Intensifying storm surges and sea level rise will severely damage the oil production and harbors. Among the potential impacts are: increased desertification; increasing water scarcity; and severe food insecurity. The agricultural sector accounts for 9% of the national income, employing 25% of the country's population, all of which will be highly affected by climate change. Algeria already imports 45% of its food, and this percentage will only increase in the future. Furthermore, deforestation and increased forest fires due to climate change had rendered Algeria increasingly vulnerable to floods and mud damages from severe rains.
Algeria is a hot and dry country; providing it with a limited capacity to adapt to climate change impacts.
Besides the threat to food and water supplies, people living in some of Algeria's neighborhoods are worried that changing weather patterns could bring more extreme weather events. In 2001, more than 700 residents of the poor Bab el-Oued neighborhood perished in a flash flood.
National Climate Change Work
The Algerian Ministry for Territory and Environment, besides the main responsibilities concerning the protection of the environment and implementation of the sustainable development is the focal point for the Algerian Renewable Energy programme, an integral pillar of national energy planning. The introduction and promotion of Renewable Energy in Algeria are placed in a highly articulated legislative framework. Algeria is, in fact, the only oil producing country which legislated a text of law for the Renewable Energy promotion introduced by the Ministry for Territory and Environment Management. The ministry also operates in co-operation with the Centre for Development of Renewable Energy sources (CDER) created in 1988 and financed by the government. The CDER is in charge of elaborating the research and development programs of solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass sources. (http://www.medrec.org/en/members.php)
Position with regards to current negotiations for a new global climate agreement
Algeria has a very important role in the negotiation because of its position as head of the African group. Algeria is also a member of and is highly influenced by the positions of OPEC and OAPEC.
As head of the African group, Algeria sees that NAMAs (nationally appropriate mitigation actions) should be measured, reported and verified through national communications. It also sees that developed countries should report finance and technology transfer in their national communications, and all actions (by both developed and developing) should be placed in a registry under the UNFCCC. Additionally, the African group stresses that a global goal should reduce emission based on historical responsibility, and should be based on sound science.
On the other hand, as part of OAPEC, OPEC, and the League of Arab States (LAS), Algeria has a very different stand. Algeria's position stresses the concept of historical responsibility and the "environmental debt" of developed countries, and links level of action in developing countries with level of support from the developed, stating that the lower the support the lower the deviation from BAU (Business As Usual) scenarios. Additionally, Algeria does not support the proposals using the numbers given by the IPCC deeming them methodologically flawed. Algeria also believes that there should be an "ambitious package of financial and technological transfers to help developing countries reduce their emissions without incurring any welfare losses".
Positive Role
Despite being a large oil and gas producing country, Algeria is one of only two Arab States which has advanced a number for Annex I countries emission reductions (Morocco being the only other Arab country to have done so). This target corresponds to a reduction of at least 40% by 2020 compared to the 1990 levels. In addition, Algeria has recognized the importance of NAMAs in contributing to the achievement of the global goal by delivering a substantial deviation from baseline in developing countries.
Negative Role
Algeria has supported and shared the positions of OPEC countries, which are identified as obstructionists in the negotiations. Therefore, within the G77 and the African group, Algeria is recognized for its OPEC identity more than for its African or Arab identity.
Algeria demanded that the impacts of response measures be addressed under adaptation. They are thus asking that the possible financial losses due to reduction in fossil fuel consumption that can occur due to actions to reduce emissions, such as the reduction of fossil fuel consumption, should be in the same category of adaptation which is primarily intended to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to the impacts of climate change.
What could be better
Algeria has a skilled delegation with good experience and mediation skills but has not yet employed them to their full potential within the Arab region. It is currently in a genuinely influential position as the head of the African Group. Nevertheless, Algeria continuously tries to push the African group towards the OPEC position, while they would help achieve a stronger agreement if they do the exact opposite, ie push OPEC towards the African position. Algeria should also play the same leadership role within the Arab world, and push for a stronger position within the League of Arab States.