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 21 December 2009
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Climate talks "an essential beginning": UN chief

21/12/2009

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling the climate talks that ended this weekend in Copenhagen an "essential beginning", even as he acknowledges that the outcome did not go as far as many would have liked.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

The Copenhagen Accord, as the agreement is being called, is not legally binding. But the Secretary-General said the decisions made in Copenhagen fulfill in large part the benchmarks for a success he laid down at the September 2009 Summit.

"Admittedly they do not yet meet the scientific bottom line to keep global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, but without the commitments in the Copenhagen Accord, we could be facing the real prospect of temperature rises of up to 6 degrees Celsius".

Developing countries wanted no more than a 1.5 degree Celsius increase in the earth's temperature. Mr. Ban said during the coming months, he will encourage world leaders to directly engage in achieving a global, legally-binding climate change treaty in 2010. He also noted that countries that had previously stayed on the periphery are now at the center of global climate action.

Mr. Ban also said he would examine the lessons of the Copenhagen conference, including how to streamline the negotiation process. He said he would establish a high-level panel on development and climate change to address that issue.

Diane Bailey, UN Radio.

(duration: 1'29")

Sound bites

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Cut 1

"Admittedly they do not yet meet the scientific bottom line to keep global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, but without the commitments in the C Accord we could be facing the real prospect of temperature rises of up to 6 degrees Celsius".
Duration: 00:00:24

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Cut 2

"Let me first of all say the conference was a success. Among the conference decisions, the Copenhagen Accord marks a significant step forward. First, it commits countries to work to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius. It also says that they will review this commitment in 2015 to take account of new scientific evidence. Second, the Accord includes mid-term mitigation targets by developed countries and mid-term mitigation actions by developing countries. Again this is an advance. Third, countries have agreed on the importance of acting to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. This means we have finally brought the source of nearly one-fifth of global emissions into the emerging climate regime. Fourth, the Accord agrees to provide comprehensive support to the most vulnerable to cope with climate change. Fifth, the deal is backed by money and the means to deliver it. You know that already 30 billion dollars have been committed until 2012, and after that, 100 billion dollars annually up to 2020".
Duration: 00:01:29