The European Union (EU) on Saturday hailed the achievement of
the Bali climate conference and called for joint efforts by
developed and developing countries to take measures against climate
change.
Delegates take part in an
extended session of the UN Climate Change Conference 2007 in Nusa
Dua, on Bali island. The United States Saturday voiced "serious
concerns" about a deal reached at the conference, emphasizing the
need for major developing countries to be included in greenhouse
gas emissions targets.
The EU welcomed the agreement reached at the UN climate change
conference in Indonesia's Bali to start formal negotiations on a
climate regime for the post-2012 period and on a Bali Roadmap that
sets out an agenda for these negotiations, said a statement of the
bloc.
President of the EU Commission Jose Manuel Barroso welcomed the
agreement, saying it was reached after hard work.
"It is a very important step forward," he said. "I appeal to all
our partners to take these commitments seriously and to act
swiftly."
"Together, developed and developing countries can reach success"
as "there is only one planet," he said.
Francisco Nunes Correia, Environment Minister of Portugal, the
current rotating EU presidency holder, praised the breakthrough
reached in the Bali conference.
"The way is now clear for the international community to start
negotiations to reach a global climate agreement by the end of
2009," he said.
Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner for Environment, said the
roadmap met the EU's main demands and now "the real hard work must
begin."
Delegates take part in an extended session of the UN Climate
Change Conference 2007 in Nusa Dua, on Bali island. The United
States Saturday voiced "serious concerns" about a deal reached at
the conference, emphasizing the need for major developing countries
to be included in greenhouse gas emissions targets.
"We have agreed to start negotiations that will not only discuss
commitments for developed countries, including the United States,
but also actions by developing countries," he said.
"It is essential that the agreement to be worked out over the
next two years is ambitious enough to prevent global warming from
reaching dangerous levels."
The 15-day UN climate change conference ended Saturday with the
adoption of the Bali Roadmap, which is expected to launch
negotiations on a crucial international climate change regime up to
2009.
The Bali Roadmap, agreed upon by over 180 countries meeting in
Indonesia's resort island of Bali, includes a clear agenda for the
key issues to be negotiated up to 2009, including actions for
adapting to the negative consequences of climate change, ways to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ways to deploy climate-friendly
technologies and financing both adaptation and mitigation
measures.
The conference was attended by more than 11,000 people, making
it the largest UN climate change gathering ever held.
Next year's UN climate change conference will be held in Poznan,
Poland.
(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2007)
