|
Climate change: Dimas at UN
ministerial conference in Nairobi
EU environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will be
participating in the high-level segment of the United
Nations climate change conference in Nairobi from 15 to
17 November. The European Commission is seeking from the
other participants in the conference further global
progress in the battle against climate change.
This year's conference has a special focus on the needs
of Africa and other developing countries. The other key
agenda topic is the discussion of what further action
the international community should take to combat
climate change after 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol
emission targets expire. The conference will also carry
out a review of the Protocol.
In Nairobi, active discussions are
under way, since the start of the Conference on 6
November, with the goal of finalising the details of two
important initiatives designed to help reduce the
impacts of climate change through adaptation measures.
These initiatives are a new
Adaptation Fund to support developing countries, and a
five-year programme of work on adaptation for all
countries. Kyoto Protocol parties have made progress
towards agreement on an agenda for discussing further
global action to combat climate change after 2012.
This discussion will be broadened to
involve non-Kyoto countries, including the US and
Australia, during the high-level segment of the
conference beginning on Wednesday. Before his departure
for Nairobi Mr Dimas said : "Climate change threatens
catastrophic impacts that will transform the world we
live in. Developing countries in Africa and elsewhere
are likely to be hit hardest by climate change but they
are the ones least able to cope.
The Nairobi conference is an
important opportunity to support them. We must take
concrete steps to help developing countries adapt to
climate change and thus reduce its risks." He added:
"Climate change is already happening and there are signs
that its pace is accelerating. Kyoto is a first step
towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions but the
international community will need to take much more
ambitious action after 2012. I hope the Nairobi
Conference will make good progress towards shaping an
international consensus on the next steps.
The recent Stern Review shows it
makes perfect economic sense for us to act as quickly as
possible. There is no reason for further delay." |
