The Secretary-General said that the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change was a success that marked several advances, including by committing countries to work to limit global temperature rise to below 2° C. He also noted the Copenhagen Accord’s inclusion of mid-term mitigation targets by developed countries and mid-term mitigation actions by developing countries, and the agreement to provide comprehensive support to the most vulnerable to cope with climate change.
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Noon Briefings
With just hours remaining to close the final gaps, the Secretary-General implored leaders to seize this opportunity. “Now is the time for common sense, compromise and courage.” The Secretary-General worked through most of last night and today with world leaders who are negotiating the final text of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference.
The Secretary-General is engaging today in intensive discussions with world leaders who have gathered in Copenhagen for climate change negotiations, and he is convinced that a deal is within reach.
With three days remaining at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the Secretary-General is confident that world leaders will be able to agree on a new deal to combat global warming. As part of his efforts to help pave the way, he held meetings today with a wide number of leaders and representatives of groups of nations. He’s met the Group of 77, the African Group, the Least Developed Countries group and the Alliance of Small Island States.
The Secretary-General has arrived in Copenhagen, and he has been meeting with key officials on climate change while an estimated 130 Heads of State and Government prepare to converge in the Danish capital for the high-level session of the Climate Change Conference.
As negotiations in Copenhagen continue, the Secretary-General is closely following the situation. Delegates continue to work on a set of texts before Ministers arrive in Copenhagen this weekend. The negotiations are focusing on new commitments for developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol and a new long-term cooperative deal under the Climate Change Convention, which will include key issues such as mitigation, adaptation, technology and deforestation.
In Copenhagen, the UN Climate Change Conference has entered the drafting phase for a final agreement. And according to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, there is a real eagerness among parties to sit down and get the work done as much as possible before Ministers arrive.
The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms the bomb attacks in Baghdad today that have left over 120 people dead and scores more injured. No cause can justify these attacks on civilians. The attacks appear to be aimed at undermining the election process, including the political progress in Iraq.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference started today in Copenhagen with what Yvo de Boer, the top UN Climate Change official, called “unprecedented political momentum for a deal”. De Boer called on negotiators to focus on solid and practical proposals that will unleash prompt action on mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology, reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries and capacity-building.
Luis Moreno-Ocampo provided the Security Council with an update on his work dealing with Darfur. He said that all efforts in recent months have encouraged Sudan to respect its responsibilities as a UN Member State and to put an end to crimes and arrest people indicted by the Court. He noted that President Omar al-Bashir, one of the indicted suspects, has been unable to travel to certain States where he may be arrested.