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12/12/2011
Climate Change Deal 'A Failure' – Greenpeace
An agreement on climate change brokered this weekend has been snubbed as a "failure" by environmental campaigners, Greenpeace.
On Monday morning, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the outcome of weekend talks by countries at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, saying they represented a "significant agreement".
The UN said that, after extended negotiations, the 194 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreed on a package of decisions, which include the launch of a protocol that would apply to all members, a second commitment period for the existing Kyoto Protocol and the launch of the Green Climate Fund.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr Ban said the new accord is "essential for stimulating greater action and for raising the level of ambition and the mobilization of resources to respond to the challenges of climate change."
However, Greenpeace have responded to the agreements saying UN climate talks in Durban had ended the same way they began, "in failure".
Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International Executive Director, said: "The grim news is that the blockers lead by the US have succeeded in inserting a vital get-out clause that could easily prevent the next big climate deal being legally binding. If that loophole is exploited it could be a disaster. And the deal is due to be implemented 'from 2020' leaving almost no room for increasing the depth of carbon cuts in this decade when scientists say we need emissions to peak."
(DW)
On Monday morning, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the outcome of weekend talks by countries at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, saying they represented a "significant agreement".
The UN said that, after extended negotiations, the 194 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreed on a package of decisions, which include the launch of a protocol that would apply to all members, a second commitment period for the existing Kyoto Protocol and the launch of the Green Climate Fund.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr Ban said the new accord is "essential for stimulating greater action and for raising the level of ambition and the mobilization of resources to respond to the challenges of climate change."
However, Greenpeace have responded to the agreements saying UN climate talks in Durban had ended the same way they began, "in failure".
Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International Executive Director, said: "The grim news is that the blockers lead by the US have succeeded in inserting a vital get-out clause that could easily prevent the next big climate deal being legally binding. If that loophole is exploited it could be a disaster. And the deal is due to be implemented 'from 2020' leaving almost no room for increasing the depth of carbon cuts in this decade when scientists say we need emissions to peak."
(DW)
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Showers, scattered in the evening, will clear by midnight leaving the night dry with clear spells. Perhaps a touch of ground frost. Cloud will spread east towards morning. Minimum temperature 2 °C.
