UN leader optimistic about climate talks

Kristy Ramnarine kramnarine@trinidadexpress.com
Saturday, November 28th 2009

The climate change talks held at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Port of Spain has been described as ’encouraging’ by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Denmark Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

In a last minute attempt to gain support for the Copenhagen Agreement, the UN Head and the Danish leader addressed Commonwealth Heads of Government and State during a session yesterday.

’This meeting has been constructive, very useful and we’re both very encouraged by such a strong commitment politically being expressed by the leaders of Commonwealth community,’ said the UN leader said during a press conference at the CHOGM Media Centre at the International Financial Centre in Port of Spain last night. ’They all wish and hope sincerely that there must be a deal in Copenhagen for the future of this humanity- developed and developing countries.’ Rasmussen, who will be hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, said CHOGM created a unique opportunity to discuss the challenges ahead of the climate change summit. ’The Commonwealth covers so many countries, some of the most vulnerable small island states which really suffer from climate change. I must say I was encouraged by the engagement from all leaders attending the meeting and looking forward to the community tomorrow,’ he said. In his address to the leaders, Ban Ki-Moon called for commitment in five areas: 1. Ambitious mid-term mitigation targets for industrialised countries; 2. Ambitious mitigation actions by developing countries that limit the growth of their emission to below-business as usual; 3. An ambitious adaption framework for all countries; 4. Financing and technology to support developing countries with all the above, and; 5. A transparent and equitable governance structure to manage and deploy these resources that gives all countries a voice. Ban Ki-Moon noted that the Commonwealth leaders were now working on a joint statement to be issued by Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning at the end of the CHOGM. Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161563332