PRESS CONFERENCE BY EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION

PRESS CONFERENCE BY EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION

The General Assembly’s debate on “Climate change as a global challenge” was bearing out the urgency of the call for significant measures beyond the Kyoto Protocol, which political leaders could achieve by the end of the year, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Yvo de Boer, said this morning at a Headquarters press conference.

Addressing correspondents in the margins of the three-day informal thematic debate, Mr. de Boer said an accord could be reached at the Bali conference of States parties in December if political leaders came to agreement on key elements at the Secretary-General’s special event in September.  (See Press Releases GA/10607 and GA/10609.)

Continuing, Mr. de Boer said climate change was an environmental issue that needed to be addressed in context of its economic component.  “Energy drives economic growth”, he said, adding that the challenge was to “green” investment flows and create financial flows that helped developing countries implement climate change strategies.  The week-long Bali meeting in December would culminate in a three-day high-level session that would provide the opportunity for launching an intensive two-year negotiating period leading up to the 2012 goal of the Kyoto first commitment.

The good news, he continued, was that the large developing countries such as China, India and Mexico had already developed climate change strategies.  Addressing climate change was also a top priority for the Secretary-General, who had not only personally travelled on behalf of the cause, but had appointed Special Envoys who had presented the results of the first round of their work this morning and would now begin their second round.

Mr. de Boer said a cornerstone of the preparatory work for the Bali meeting and for the meeting itself was to focus on how international cooperation could be best achieved to help all countries adapt to climate change and mitigate its harmful effects on development.  Emphasis at the conference would be placed on facilitating the implementation of strategies and maximizing the effectiveness of financial flows to create the most development and least harm.

Among the concrete approaches being discussed were a “carbon market” mechanism, clean coal strategies and clean development mechanisms, he said.  Various so-called “cap” approaches on emissions, along with “cap and trade” approachesat national and regional levels were also being considered by Governments in response to private sector requests for clear guidelines in developing long-range business strategies.

All in all, he concluded, it was imperative at this point for Governments to come together and develop an aggressive global strategy for addressing climate change in the context of development.  The strategy should set ambitious targets and ensure that all efforts were viewed from the global perspective.  The efforts should be aimed at economic growth and eradication of poverty, using mechanisms that minimized emissions and maximized energy efficiency.

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For information media • not an official record