Liechtenstein. Biennial Reports (BR). BR 3. National Communication (NC). NC 7.

GOVERNMENT
PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN
Liechtenstein(cid:146)s Seventh
National Communication
Submission of December 2017
under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
and the Kyoto ProtocolImprint
Office of Environment (project management)
P.O. Box 684
9490 Vaduz
Liechtenstein
INFRAS Research and Consulting
8045 Zurich
Switzerland
For further information
Heike Summer, Office of Environment
heike.summer@llv.li
Cover image
Claudia De BiasiForeword
Climate change is one of the major challenges of today´s environmental policy – and it has wide
impacts not only on nature and environment, but also on society and economy. Warming of the
climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are
unprecedented over decades. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow
and ice have diminished, sea level has risen, and the concentrations of greenhouse gases have
increased. Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface
than any preceding decade since 1850. Since the temperature recording started in 1871 the
temperature has increased in Liechtenstein by 1.9 °C.
These findings have also been taken into account when finalizing Liechtenstein’s Seventh National
Communication as well as Liechtenstein’s Third Biennial Report – which is to be found as an
Annex to the Seventh National Communication. In this regard, I am grateful that at the 23rd
Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which
took place from 6th to 17th November 2017 in Bonn, Parties made good progress through
constructive negotiations on the Paris implementation guidelines. The implementation of a
mechanism, which allows each Party to enhance its reduction efforts in a transparent and
effective way, is of utmost importance. We need a feasible process for all Parties and must assure
the environmental integrity of the rules, procedures, and mechanisms.
The Liechtenstein Government is convinced that the global threat of climate change needs a
global answer in the form of the legally binding Paris Agreement. Last year, the Paris Agreement
entered into force and the process of implementation has begun. In the recent months, the
process started to establish and agree on appropriate rules, procedures and mechanisms, to
confront all of the challenges posed by our warming planet. Liechtenstein submitted its Intended
Nationally Determined Contributions in April 2015 and became a member to the Paris Agreement
in September 2017. The Government of Liechtenstein is committed to improving energy
efficiency, promoting renewable energy production and setting incentives for the establishment
of a low carbon economy in Liechtenstein.
Since the release of the Sixth National Communication in 2014, Liechtenstein’s national climate
protection framework has been further developed throughout all political areas – which is one of
the major achievements of the updated National Climate Strategy launched by the Government in
2015 with the aim to widen its scope with a focus on the 2015 agreement in order to further
domestic GHG reductions and strengthen public awareness. Being aware of our responsibility as