Cancún breaks the ground for new dynamics to combat climate change
Cancun, 11.12.2010: The climate summit in Cancún agreed on important climate protection packages after a dramatic night session, partly thanks to the sovereign leadership of the Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa. Agreed packages include the protection of rain forests, adaptation to climate change for the most vulnerable countries, technology transfer and a Green Fund for financing the above mentioned measures. For the first time in UN history it was officially accepted by all countries to limit the global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius. The insufficient voluntarily delivered numbers of Copenhagen to reduce the emissions of the industrialised countries would lead towards a temperature increase of three to four degrees Celsius until the end of the century. It was now decided that those reduction targets shall be scaled up until 2015 to close the gap for staying below the two degrees limit.
"It was demonstrated in Cancún, that the UNFCCC process is able to reach groundbreaking achievements. Those will be the foundations for next year's summit in South Africa. Long term financing of climate protection and rain forest protection as well as adaptation will be main issues to discuss, along with a legally binding agreement", explains Klaus Milke, Chairman of the Board at Germanwatch. "In addition, we have seen though that the consensus-based process within the UN alone will not be able to channel the necessary dynamic in international climate politics with a US administration more or less incapable of action. Further dynamics have to be reached through additional frontrunner coalitions among countries, communities and businesses", adds Christoph Bals, Political Director at Germanwatch. "Acting, negotiating and building coalitions is the essential triptych".
Contact:
- Christoph Bals, Political Director, Germanwatch, bals@germanwatch.org, +49 174 327 56 69 (In Cancún)
- Klaus Milke, Chairman of the Board, Germanwatch, milke@germanwatch.org, +49 40 791 43 121 (In Germany)
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