Rich countries urged to do more over climate change

DURBAN - The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Monday urged developed countries to take more actions to tackle global climate change.

In a statement at the ongoing UN climate conference in Durban, the IUCN said that governments of various nations in the world play an important role in coping with climate change and that developed nations in particular need to shoulder more responsibility.

National governments worldwide need to take emergency actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions and make these actions part of a binding agreement, it said.

According to documents released by the IUCN at the conference, the current global challenge is to find sustainable ways to manage and exploit natural resources.

An ecosystem-based solution is an economically efficient one without any negative effect, the IUCN said.

The IUCN suggested that national governments and investors worldwide create natural reserves to preserve ecosystems and biological diversity.

They also need to develop ecological tourism and ecological agriculture to achieve a win-win outcome featuring both ecological and economic benefits, the IUCN said.

Founded in October 1948, the IUCN is the world's first global environmental organization with more than 1,000 member organizations in 140 countries and regions.

The international body helps the world find pragmatic solutions to pressing environmental and economic development challenges.