Earth unity clear target of climate conference
Source: Agencies |
December 8, 2009, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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THE biggest climate talks so far opened yesterday with a stark United Nations warning of the risk of desertification and rising seas and an assurance by host Denmark that a deal to combat climate change was "within reach."
Politicians and scientists urged the December 7-18 talks, attended by about 15,000 delegates from about 190 countries, to agree on immediate action to curb greenhouse gases and come up with billions of dollars in aid and technology to help the poor.
Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said 110 world leaders were signed up to attend a summit at the end of the meeting.
"A deal is within our reach," Rasmussen said. But the talks will have to overcome deep distrust between rich and poor nations on sharing out the burden of curbing emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels.
The talks are aimed at agreeing upon a pact to replace the existing UN Kyoto Protocol that runs to 2012.
"The clock has ticked down to zero. After two years of negotiations the time has come to deliver," said Yvo de Boer, the head of the UN Climate Change Secretariat.
Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the UN panel of climate scientists, said action was needed to avoid more intense cyclones, heat waves, floods, and possible loss of the Greenland ice sheet, which could mean a sea-level rise of 7 meters over centuries.
He said even limiting global warming to a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times could still bring an increase in sea levels that "could submerge several small island states and Bangladesh."
Developing nations urged the rich to lead. Papua New Guinea delegate Kevin Conrad said that some small island states "may soon disappear forever" without action. African nations said they faced worsening risks of desertification or floods.
Outside the Copenhagen conference center, delegates walked past a slowly melting ice sculpture of a mermaid, modeled on the Danish fairy tale of "The Little Mermaid," as a call for action.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, writing in the Guardian newspaper yesterday, said: "The British government is absolutely clear about what we must achieve. Our aim is a comprehensive and global agreement that is then converted to an internationally legally binding treaty in no more than six months."
Politicians and scientists urged the December 7-18 talks, attended by about 15,000 delegates from about 190 countries, to agree on immediate action to curb greenhouse gases and come up with billions of dollars in aid and technology to help the poor.
Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said 110 world leaders were signed up to attend a summit at the end of the meeting.
"A deal is within our reach," Rasmussen said. But the talks will have to overcome deep distrust between rich and poor nations on sharing out the burden of curbing emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels.
The talks are aimed at agreeing upon a pact to replace the existing UN Kyoto Protocol that runs to 2012.
"The clock has ticked down to zero. After two years of negotiations the time has come to deliver," said Yvo de Boer, the head of the UN Climate Change Secretariat.
Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the UN panel of climate scientists, said action was needed to avoid more intense cyclones, heat waves, floods, and possible loss of the Greenland ice sheet, which could mean a sea-level rise of 7 meters over centuries.
He said even limiting global warming to a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times could still bring an increase in sea levels that "could submerge several small island states and Bangladesh."
Developing nations urged the rich to lead. Papua New Guinea delegate Kevin Conrad said that some small island states "may soon disappear forever" without action. African nations said they faced worsening risks of desertification or floods.
Outside the Copenhagen conference center, delegates walked past a slowly melting ice sculpture of a mermaid, modeled on the Danish fairy tale of "The Little Mermaid," as a call for action.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, writing in the Guardian newspaper yesterday, said: "The British government is absolutely clear about what we must achieve. Our aim is a comprehensive and global agreement that is then converted to an internationally legally binding treaty in no more than six months."
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