UN urges governments to work harder to avoid global catastrophe
Governments of developed countries must work harder to secure a climate pact to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, said Christiana Figueres, head of the UN Climate Change Secretariat last Friday, at the end of two weeks of fraught and only slightly productive talks in Bonn between negotiators from 146 countries.
“There is a growing realisation and acknowledgment that resolving the future of the Kyoto Protocol is essential this year and will require high level political guidance,” Figueres said.
Ambassador Jorge Arguello of Argentina, chairman of the Group of 77 and China (G77) agreed, adding: “The chance to reach a successful outcome in Durban to consolidate and strengthen the climate change framework still depends on the level of political will that Parties can show.”
Durban is the location of the next top level meeting in November/December. The EU and others have now conceded that an all-encompassing agreement on binding carbon emissions is unlikely to be achieved there.
What is the scientific position?
According to Climate Action Tracker, based on current commitments by nations, the world is headed for an approximately 3.2 degrees rise in average temperatures this century.