MaximsNewsNetwork: CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS IN CANCUN, UN's ROBERT ORR (UNTV)

MaximsNewsNetwork: 14 December 2010 -- UNTV: United Nations, New York -- Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Planning Robert Orr held a press conference today (14 December) to brief journalists on the outcome of last week's United Nations climate change talks in Cancún; the talks concluded with a package of decisions to help countries advance towards a low-emissions future, delivering what the world body's top officials have hailed as a victory in the battle against one of today's biggest challenges.

Orr said that climate negotiations are "the most complex" in history and that while the process has been "understandably" difficult, "this past year put this process firmly back on track".

He noted that "it was the will of the parties that wanted to see it back on track" as they realise that "there is no alternative" to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiating process.

Dubbed the "Cancún Agreements," the decisions include formalizing mitigation pledges and ensuring increased accountability for them, as well as taking concrete action to protect the world's forests, which account for nearly one-fifth of global carbon emissions.

Agreement was also reached on establishing a fund for long-term climate financing to support developing countries, and bolstering technology cooperation and enhancing vulnerable populations' ability to adapt to the changing climate.

Orr said that "progress needs to be made on the ground" and "private investors make decisions everyday".

He noted that "there are various country positions" on where the 100 billion dollars needed for long term financing will come from. He said that this issue will be a "coming attraction of intense debate."

Delegates in Cancún agreed to ensure no gap between the first and second commitment periods of the Kyoto Protocol, an addition to the Convention that contains legally binding measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and whose first commitment period is due to expire in 2012.

The Assistant Secretary-General said that he hoped that by the time of next year's meeting "there is not only a lot to report on but a lot to agree too" and quoting Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, he said that "the train was back on the tracks and it has left the station" and "maybe by the end of the year if we can be calling it the Durban Express."

The next Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC is scheduled to be held in Durban, South Africa from 28 November to 9 December 2011.

...... ( UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION: UNTV ) ............................................

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