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Developed countries urged to commit more in fighting climate change

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-01 10:37

Top Chinese negotiator Tuesday urged developed countries to make more commitments and support to developing countries in fighting climate change.

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Su Wei, Chinese delegation chief to the UN climate change talks in Bonn, made the call in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

The Bonn conference, which started on March 29 and will last till April 8, is the first of a series of UN climate change talks this year, which is aimed to pave the way for an ambitious and effective international climate change deal to be reached in Copenhagen in December.

Su said the success of the Copenhagen summit lies in whether or not the developed countries would make "substantial arrangements" for transferring climate-friendly technologies to and providing funds for developing countries.

Su noted the establishment of three international "mechanisms" is very important among the "substantial arrangements."

"The first is to set up an international mechanism on climate-friendly technology development and transfer, to eliminate barriers hindering technology transfer, so that developing countries can get access to such technologies," he said.

"Secondly, we should set up an effective financing mechanism to ensure the developed countries provide adequate funds for developing countries in their bid to cut emissions and fight climate change," he added.

Thirdly, Su said an "effective supervision mechanism" should be set up to monitor the above-mentioned technology transfer and funding.

Su said the time for the UN climate change talks is "pressing" as the Copenhagen conference is just eight months away.

According to Su, the Copenhagen conference has two tasks. One is to set the mid-term emission reduction targets for developed countries, that is, developed countries as a whole should commit to making 25-40 percent cuts below 1990 levels by 2020. The other is to make substantial arrangements for the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in accordance with the Bali Roadmap.

Su said during the past two centuries, developed countries have made unbridled emissions of green-house gas, a major cause of global climate change, and developing countries are major victims of climate change.

Hence, developed countries have the duties and responsibilities to cut emissions and offer help to developing countries, he said, noting the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change has notified the responsibilities of developed countries, but they failed to make progress in the implementation over the past decade.

Su also pointed out the key to striking a deal in Copenhagen lies in the "political will" of developed countries.

During the current talks in Bonn, the US delegation had presented the position of the Obama administration on climate change, promising to reduce US carbon emissions by roughly 15 percent from current levels by 2020.

"It is an encouragement and we welcome it. This means substantial policy change on climate change by the new US administration," said Su.

However, Su said the targets set by the White House is still far shy of the goals set by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which asks the United States to reduce the emissions to the 1990 levels by 2000.

Su also said the positions of the European Union (EU) and Japan were "positive" in the Bonn talks.

As for China, Su said the Chinese government attaches vital importance to fighting climate change and a series of substantial measures have been put into practice.

In 2007, a national leading group on climate change, headed by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, was set up to oversee all issues relevant to climate change.

On the same year, the Chinese government issued the National Climate Change Program, the first of its kind ever issued by China, which works out the strategies and measures to tackle climate change.

"The Chinese government has actively participated in international talks on climate change and we have presented our own proposals on nearly every relevant issue," Su said.

"China has played and is playing a positive and constructive role in international talks on climate change," Su added.