SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES G-8 AGREEMENT ON ‘STRONG AND EARLY ACTION’

 

TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General wholeheartedly welcomes that G-8 leaders have agreed on a strong and early action to combat climate change.  He is greatly encouraged by their commitment to a multilateral process within the United Nations framework.

The Secretary-General has placed great diplomatic efforts in getting the G-8 leaders to acknowledge the central role of the United Nations and its Framework Convention on Climate Change as the forum for climate change negotiations.

The acceptance by the leaders of their responsibility to act on emission reductions and eventual cuts is to be commended, as is their stated intention to conclude the negotiations on a post-2012 agreement by 2009.

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For information media • not an official record