Developed countries should take the lead in combating climate
change, while the developing world should also be more greatly
engaged in responding to the global threat, Secretary-General of
the United Nations Ban Ki-moon said here on Monday ahead of his
attendance in the UN climate change conference in Bali.
Delivering a keynote address at an UN meeting on "climate
change, green growth and inclusive development" at the UN Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Bangkok
headquarters with the focus on the Asia-Pacific region, the UN
chief reiterated his support for the principle of "common but
differentiated responsibilities", as put in the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, which state
that all countries share the common responsibility on combating
climate change, while industrialized countries should take the lead
by committing themselves to certain emission reduction goals.
The industrialized countries "carry the burden of historical
responsibility for the climate change problem, and hey have the
financial resources and technological capabilities to initiative
deep and early cuts in emissions," acknowledged Ban.
Yet it does not mean that developing countries should do
nothing, said Ban, emphasizing that climate change problem is a
global issue and the burden has effects for the whole world.
"Now we should look at the historical responsibilities in the
future for our grand-grand children."
"The developing world needs to stop viewing climate change
solely as an environmental issue and begin approaching it as a
development concern," Ban said.
"Many countries in the Asian-Pacific region have already
undertaken meaningful voluntary initiatives to improve energy
efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, but developing countries
need more hand better incentive to spur even greater emission
reductions ... In particular, developing nations need to be
reassured that the international response to climate change will
not sacrifice their legitimate poverty eradication and development
aspirations."
Thus, developed countries should assist developing countries by
providing better funding and technology transfers, particularly for
energy supply and adaptation. These kinds of measures should be
included in future negotiations.
Ban said at the September UN meeting on climate change, all
participating leaders have spoken in one voice, acknowledging
climate change as one truly global threat. And there has been no
disputes on the scientific findings as put in UN reports as to the
catastrophic consequences climate change could bring. "What is
missing is political will."
An ESCAP release stated that the speech would be the UN head's
key policy statement on climate change before he heads for Bali,
Indonesia to attend at the UN climate change conference on
Tuesday.
The Bali conference is expected to outline a roadmap towards
negotiations between countries' future commitment on reducing green
house gases and other climate change mitigation issues as the first
commitment period stipulated in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol will
terminate in 2012.
The negotiations should be completed by 2009 in order to find
the agreement on new targets for reducing emissions, as the
ratification process by participating countries is supposed to take
about two years.
Ban is paying an official visit to Thailand since Sunday. This
is also Ban's first visit to Asia as UN Secretary-General.
(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2007)
