United Nations: Describing the agreement
reached at the climate talks in Durban as "significant", UN
chief Ban Ki-Moon today said it represents an "important
advance" in the work on tackling global warming and sought its
quick implementation.
The `Durban Platform` is a "significant and forward"
agreement that will guide global efforts to address the causes
and impacts of climate change, he said.
A statement from Ban`s spokesperson said the UN Secretary
General welcomes the agreement reached at the 194-party
conference in Durban to establish a second commitment period
of the Kyoto Protocol "that will increase certainty for the
carbon market and provides additional incentives for new
investments in technology and the infrastructure necessary to
fight climate change."
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement that
sets binding targets for 37 industrialised countries and the
European community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
It was set to expire in 2012.
The statement further said the decision to launch a
protocol or legal instrument applicable to all parties under
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is
essential for stimulating greater action and for raising the
level of ambition and the mobilisation of resources to respond
to the challenges of climate change.
The Secretary General is "gratified" that countries have
reached decisions that will operationalise the Cancun
agreements, including a technology mechanism that will promote
access by developing countries to clean, low-carbon
technologies and an adaptation committee that will coordinate
adaptation activities on a global scale, the statement said.
Welcoming the launch of the Green Climate Fund, Ban
expressed satisfaction that a number of countries have
signalled their intent to contribute to it.
Taken together, these agreements "represent an important
advance in our work on climate change," the statement said
adding that the Secretary-General calls on the parties to
quickly implement these decisions.
PTI
