Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Climate

01.06.2023

Change Between

the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Government of the Republic of Korea

[It was registered in the state register by the Ministry of foreign affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the serial № 4509-CN-2023-H]

The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Government of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as the “Parties”),

Recognizing that climate change and its adverse effects are common concern of humankind which requires urgent and collective action,

Reaffirming that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as the “Convention”) lays a firm foundation for international efforts to combat climate change, and that the Kyoto Protocol to the Convention, as last amended on 8 December 2012, has been instrumental in implementing the Convention, and

Emphasizing the importance of the implementation of the Paris Agreement, which will play a central role in guiding the Partiesʼ cooperative efforts to effectively address the challenges of climate change during the post-2020 period,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1Purpose

1. The purpose of this Framework Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the “Agreement”) is to strengthen the Partiesʼ capacity to reduce and/or remove greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change, and thereby facilitate the Parties ʼ transition towards low carbon and climate resilient economies and inclusive and green growth.

2. For the purpose stated in paragraph 1 above, this Agreement aims to build a mutually beneficial and comprehensive partnership through cooperative activities to be agreed upon by the Parties.

Article 2Areas of Cooperation

In order to achieve the purpose of this Agreement, the areas of cooperation under this Agreement may include the following:

(a) reduction and/or removal of greenhouse gas emissions in potential sectors of cooperation, including, inter alia, energy, industry, transportation, building, waste management, agriculture and forestry;

(b) utilization of the voluntary cooperation set out in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and capacity-building on the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of national inventories;

(c) capacity enhancement to adapt to climate change, especially by focusing on adaptation strategies;

(d) cooperation on climate-related science and technology including, but not limited to, modeling, prediction and observation, and the development and transfer of climate technologies; and

(e) other areas of cooperation to facilitate climate actions, such as methane reduction, just energy transition, promotion of green investment, climate resilient agriculture and sustainable urban planning, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Parties.

Article 3Cooperative Activities

Cooperative activities in the areas set out in Article 2 of this Agreement may include the following:

(a) exchanges between climate change experts, researchers, scholars and governmental officials, including by providing opportunities for capacity-building training;

(b) capacity enhancement including, but not limited to, the voluntary cooperation set out in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, MRV, adaptation strategies, and safety and technical regulation;

(c) promotion of public and private projects and/or programs, resulting in greenhouse gas mitigation outcomes used to achieve both Partiesʼ nationally determined contributions (NDCs);

(d) adaptation efforts to prevent the adverse effects of climate change; and

(e) other activities to promote cooperation as may be mutually agreed upon by the Parties.

Article 4Voluntary Cooperation under the Paris Agreement

1. The Parties recognize that the voluntary cooperation between the Parties allows for higher ambition in their mitigation and adaptation actions and promotes sustainable development and environmental integrity, as set out in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

2. The Parties shall make efforts to utilize the potential of the voluntary cooperation set out in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, as provided in Article 3(b) and 3(c) of this Agreement, which will involve the use of mitigation outcomes that are to be considered by the Committee set out in Article 6 of this Agreement.

3. The mitigation outcomes approved by the Committee set out in Article 6 of this Agreement based on the voluntary cooperation of the Parties can be used towards the implementation and achievement of each Partyʼs NDCs, and in this case, the corresponding adjustment stipulated in paragraph 2 of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement shall be made.

4. The Parties shall not use mitigation outcomes that are used towards each Partyʼs NDCs under paragraph 2 of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement for other international mitigation purposes.

5. The allocation of mitigation outcomes shall be determined by the agreement among the participants, taking into consideration their contributions to the voluntary cooperation such as the proportions of the investment. When agreed by the Parties, the allocation of mitigation outcomes will be endorsed by the Joint Committee set out in Article 6 of this Agreement.

Article 5Science and Technology Cooperation

1. The Parties recognize that the climate-related science and technology cooperation referred to in Article 2(d) of this Agreement can enable both Parties to respond to climate change and to implement the Parties' NDCs based on greenhouse gas mitigation and climate change adaptation technologies.

2. The Parties shall make efforts to utilize the potential of technology cooperation through the activities set out in Article 3 of this Agreement in order to enhance technological innovation capabilities and to promote the related industries of the two countries.

Article 6Joint Committee

1. To facilitate and coordinate the implementation of this Agreement, the Parties shall establish a Joint Committee on Climate Change Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as the "Committee") comprising representatives designated by each Party.

2. The Committee shall meet in principle once a year, alternately in the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea, at a place and date to be mutually agreed upon. The frequency of the Committeeʼs meetings may be adjusted by mutual consent of the Parties.

3. The Committee shall approve the work plans developed jointly by the Parties through consultations and reviews.

4. The Committee shall promote cooperation by making recommendations and decisions including, inter alia, on the progress of the implementation of the cooperative activities referred to in Article 3 of this Agreement.

5. The Parties may agree to establish workstream groups on certain areas of cooperation under the Committee, such as a Joint Sub-Committee for Science and Technology Cooperation and/or a Joint Sub-Committee for Market Mechanisms, among others, in the case that the Parties decide that such groups are necessary for the implementation of this Agreement.

6. In the Joint Sub-Committee for Market Mechanisms set out in Paragraph 5 above, the Parties shall determine and agree upon the rules and modalities for the voluntary cooperation as stipulated in Article 4 of this Agreement for avoidance of the double counting of mitigation outcomes transferred and used towards the NDCs or other mitigation purposes of the Parties for ensuring environmental integrity, including, but not limited to, the following elements:

(a) authorization, including any relevant documents to be submitted to each Party;

(b) allocation of mitigation outcomes;

(c) monitoring and verification;

(d) transfer of mitigation outcomes;

(e) registry;

(f) corresponding adjustments; and

(g) reporting, including initial reports, annual information, and regular information under Article 6 and biennial transparency reports under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement.

Article 7Cooperation between and with Non-State Actors

1. The Parties shall make efforts to enhance cooperation between, inter alia, companies, investors, research institutes, universities, and social organizations of the two countries.

2. The Parties shall make efforts to strengthen communication “with non-State actors, such as companies, investors, research institutes, universities, and social organizations, so that they have better opportunities to address the challenges of climate change.

Article 8Supplementary Arrangements

1. With a view to facilitating the bilateral cooperation under this Agreement, the Parties may encourage, where appropriate, the conclusion of supplementary arrangements between ministries or other government agencies.

2. Such supplementary arrangements may include provisions for particular forms of cooperation, the procedures to be followed, and other appropriate matters, including protection of intellectual property rights, in accordance with the applicable national laws and regulations of each country.

Article 9Expenses and Assistance

1. The Parties shall bear the expenses to be incurred in conjunction with the implementation of the cooperative activities under this Agreement on an equal basis, subject to the availability of resources and in accordance with the applicable national laws and regulations of each country.

2. Each Party may provide the other Party with the appropriate assistance necessary for the implementation of the cooperative activities under this Agreement.

Article 10Relation to other Agreements

1. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the obligations of the Parties deriving from any relevant international agreements relating to climate change to which they are party.

2. The supplementary arrangements referred to in Article 8 of this Agreement shall be carried out in accordance with the relevant national laws and regulations of each country.

Article 11Dispute Settlement

Any disputes arising from the interpretation or implementation of this Agreement shall be settled through consultations between the Parties.

Article 12Entry into Force

The Parties shall notify each other through diplomatic channels of the completion of their internal legal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement. This Agreement shall enter into force thirty (30) days after the date of receipt of the later notification.

Article 13Amendment

This Agreement may be amended with the mutual written consent of the Parties at any time. Any amendments agreed by the Parties shall enter into force in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 12 of this Agreement.

Article 14Termination

1. This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of five (5) years and shall be renewed for successive periods of five (5) years unless either Party notifies the other Party in writing of its intention to terminate this Agreement.

2. Each Party may at any time give notice in writing through diplomatic channels to the other Party of its decision to terminate this Agreement. In such case, this Agreement shall be terminated three (3) months after that date of receipt of the notice by the other Party, unless the notice to terminate is withdrawn by agreement before the expiry of this period.

3. The expiration or termination of this Agreement shall not affect the completion of any ongoing cooperative activities under this Agreement, unless otherwise mutually agreed by the Parties.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed this Framework Agreement.

Done in duplicate at Tashkent, on June 1, 2023, in the Uzbek, Korean and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.

(signatures)