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 8 October 2009
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Time is running out for climate change agreement says UNFCC chief

08/10/2009

Despite significant international cooperation leading up to the climate change conference scheduled for December in Copenhagen, Yvo De Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, says time is running out to lay the foundation for a global treaty.

Yvo De Boer

Yvo De Boer

"If there is no real advance on industrialized country emission reduction targets that take us into the range that science has been pointing to, if there is no clarity on the financial support that is essential to developing country engagements on both mitigation and adaptation and if at the same time the impression is being created that we want to do away with the only thing we have - the Kyoto Protocol - where nothing better to build on it is in sight, that makes it very difficult to advance in a constructive atmosphere."

Mr. De Boer says unless there's an advance on key political issues, it's difficult for negotiations to continue. Expert negotiators from 180 nations gathered in Bangkok are trying to craft a document that could be hammered into an international agreement at the December climate conference in Copenhagen.

Gail Walker, United Nations Radio
(duration: 1'08")

Sound bites

Yvo De Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

"If there is no real advance on industrialized country emission reduction targets that take us into the range that science has been pointing to, if there is no clarity on the financial support that is essential to developing country engagement on both mitigation and adaptation and if at the same time the impression is being created that we want to do away with the only thing we have - the Kyoto Protocol - where nothing better to build on it is in sight, that makes it very difficult to advance in a constructive atmosphere."
Duration: 00:00:33

De Boer cut 2

"I don't think I need to tell you that time is running out for Copenhagen. We have one day left at this meeting then five days of preparation time in Barcelona in just three weeks time and then that's it. So, time is running out."
Duration: 00:00:23

De Boer cut 3

"People in this negotiating process, I think mainly developing countries, are saying, we've been engaging very constructively over the past two weeks to put real meat on the bones of an agreed outcome in Copenhagen to enhance and advance the Kyoto Protocol. That we're not seeing an advance on the key political issues."
Duration: 00:00:21

De Boer cut 4

"I think the stark reality that's out there is that unless we see an advance on those key political issues, unless we see an advance on ambitious industrialized country targets and significant finance on the table, it is very difficult for negotiators in this process to continue their work in good faith."
Duration: 00:00:27