CRI听力:Curtain Raised for UN Climate Change Conference

During a pre-confernece press briefing, the United Nations climate chief, Yvo de Boer explained the targets and expectations of the Copenhagen conference. CRI's correspondent Li Ningjing was there.

Reporter: Yvo de Boer, Executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC, began his briefing with an emphasis on the urgency of the task to tackle climate change issues. He says over the next two weeks governments have to deliver a strong and long term response to the challenge of climate change, adding governments must move fast on three layers of action.(www.hXen.com)

"First of all, fast and effective implimentation right away and without delay, on adaptaion, on technoly, on capicity building in developing countries; Secondly, ambitious commitments to cut or limit emmissions as well as a startup financing for developing countries and a long term funding commitment. And third, long-term shared vision on a low emmission future for all. It's on those three levels that governments must deliver an ambitious response to climate change over the next two weeks."

So far, around 100 heads of state and government have confirmed their attendence to the Copenhagen conference, including American President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. This makes it one of the most important meetings on Climate change. One important task of the conference is to discuss the framework on climate change after 2012, when the first phase of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol targets run out. The conference will also discuss the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, as well as financial and technical support to developing countries who are most vulnerable to climate change.

While admitting there're still difficulties ahead, the United Nations climate chief is quite positive about the outcome of the conference, calling it a turning point on the road to a safe climate future.

"I belive that negotiators now have the clear signal ever from world leaders to craft a solid set of proposals to impliment rapid action. Never in the 17 years of climate change negotiations, have so many different nations made so many firm pledges together. Almost every day now, countries are announcing new targets and plans of action to cut emissions. It's simply uNPResedented. I know two things for sure. First there will be many more steps on the road to a safe climate future but also a few turning points and copenhagen must be such a turning point".

While urging developed nations to fulfil their emission commitments, De Boer also praised recent announcements by the Chinese government to reduce its carbon intensity by 40-45% by the year 2020, compared with 2005 levels.

Li Ningjing, CRI News, Copenhagen.