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| United Nations climate change talks chief Yvo de Boer receives interview by journalists from Xinhua News Agency in Bonn, Germany, April 10, 2010. (Xinhua) |
BONN, Germany, April 10 -- Future climate change talks should continue to be conducted within the UN framework instead of through platforms such as the G20 summit, United Nations climate change talks chief Yvo de Boer said in an interview with Xinhua on Saturday.
"I don't think that the G20 could ever be an appropriate platform to deal with climate change," de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), responding to some critics' claim that the UN negotiation mechanism is not as effective as forums like G20.
He explained that if fighting climate change was only reducing emissions, then the G20 might be a good forum.
"But the climate change process and the climate change convention is also about sustainable economic growth, poverty eradication and adapting to the impacts of climate change," de Boer said.
He said more than 100 developing countries are not invited to the G20 and although they bear no responsibilities for climate change, they will be confronted with all of its impacts.
According to de Boer, the world needs a broader platform like the UN so climate issues can be tackled in a balanced way, "focusing on both mitigation and adaptation."
The UN climate chief also spoke highly of the Copenhagen conference.
"With 120 heads of states and government have been there and some very important commitments have been made, I think it's a historical moment in this process," said de Boer. "What came out of Copenhagen can be used in a very constructive way to get the negotiations moving again.
He said there are some differences that can be resolved by the Copenhagen accord, such as the 2-degree maximum temperature increase, verification actions and financial reporting.
But de Boer also admitted there were also issues unresolved in Copenhagen, such as the question of finance.
The outgoing UN climate chief, who announced he will retire on July 1, said he felt disappointed that the Copenhagen conference failed to conclude with an outcome in a formal sense.
While recognizing potential difficulties, he hoped that breakthroughs could be made at UN climate change talks to be held in Cancun of Mexico at the end of this year.
"And my hope is that Cancun will do what Copenhagen failed to do, that in Cancun we will have a series of decisions that will allow for immediate implementation," he said.
"After Cancun, you can decide if you want to turn it into a treaty or not," de Boer said, adding that a treaty is possible at the climate change talks to be held in South Africa in 2011.
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United Nations climate change talks chief Yvo de Boer receives interview by journalists from Xinhua News Agency in Bonn, Germany, April 10, 2010.
Source:xinhua | |
