Climate delegates told to ID achievable goals
Source: Agencies |
October 5, 2010, Tuesday
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The United Nations' climate chief yesterday urged countries to identify achievable goals for fighting climate change ahead of a meeting in Mexico, after last year's Copenhagen summit failed to produce binding limits on greenhouse gas.
Christiana Figueres told 3,000 delegates at the start of a six-day conference in Tianjin, north China - the last conference before Cancun - that they must "accelerate the search for common ground" ahead of the December talks to make progress toward securing a global climate change treaty.
"As governments, you can continue to stand still or move forward. Now is the time to make that choice," she said.
Last year's UN climate summit in Copenhagen disappointed many environmentalists and political leaders when it failed to produce a global and legally binding treaty on curbing greenhouse gases. Instead, nations agreed to a nonbinding political declaration on fighting climate change.
This year, distrust has only deepened between developed and developing countries over how to cut the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing the earth to overheat.
As host, China will seek to reduce those differences, said State Counselor Dai Bingguo, who urged countries to renew efforts in order to "hammer out a binding agreement at an early date."
Dai said developing countries' right to development must be guaranteed to achieve positive progress in tackling climate change.
As a developing country experiencing rapid growth, China will continue to fulfill its due responsibilities in reducing greenhouse gases emissions, he said. Last year, China pledged it would cut its carbon intensity - emissions per unit of GDP - by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 from the 2005 level. Nationwide efforts have also been made to reach the goal of improving energy efficiency by 20 percent from 2005 to 2010.
"They're serious and they chose something that's not easy," Figueres said. "China has redoubled domestic efforts since Copenhagen. I don't think anyone can doubt that."
Christiana Figueres told 3,000 delegates at the start of a six-day conference in Tianjin, north China - the last conference before Cancun - that they must "accelerate the search for common ground" ahead of the December talks to make progress toward securing a global climate change treaty.
"As governments, you can continue to stand still or move forward. Now is the time to make that choice," she said.
Last year's UN climate summit in Copenhagen disappointed many environmentalists and political leaders when it failed to produce a global and legally binding treaty on curbing greenhouse gases. Instead, nations agreed to a nonbinding political declaration on fighting climate change.
This year, distrust has only deepened between developed and developing countries over how to cut the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing the earth to overheat.
As host, China will seek to reduce those differences, said State Counselor Dai Bingguo, who urged countries to renew efforts in order to "hammer out a binding agreement at an early date."
Dai said developing countries' right to development must be guaranteed to achieve positive progress in tackling climate change.
As a developing country experiencing rapid growth, China will continue to fulfill its due responsibilities in reducing greenhouse gases emissions, he said. Last year, China pledged it would cut its carbon intensity - emissions per unit of GDP - by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 from the 2005 level. Nationwide efforts have also been made to reach the goal of improving energy efficiency by 20 percent from 2005 to 2010.
"They're serious and they chose something that's not easy," Figueres said. "China has redoubled domestic efforts since Copenhagen. I don't think anyone can doubt that."
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