Brussels, 06/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission and the Hungarian Presidency, jointly represent the European Union at the international UN climate negotiations that resumed in Bonn, Germany, on Monday 6 June, among climate experts (6-17 June).
While not expecting miracles, the EU hopes the preparatory Bonn talks, ahead of the big UN climate change conference in Durban, South Africa, in December will make progress on key issues. The two-week meeting may make progress on issues of substance for Durban (COP 17) in order to make the Cancun agreements operational, making progress on issues left to one side in Cancun (like setting up sectoral emissions credit mechanisms and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation and international maritime transport). It will be important in Durban to move towards a legally binding global agreement with as many countries as possible on tackling climate change, explains the Commission in a press release. Time is running out. As Christiana Figueres, the UNFCCC executive secretary, explained, governments have an unavoidable responsibility to make clear progress towards the 2011 climate objectives which they agreed in Cancun.... They committed themselves to a maximum global temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius, with further consideration of a 1.5 degrees maximum: “Now, more than ever, it is critical that all efforts are mobilised towards living up to this commitment”, she warned on Monday, as the Bonn meeting opened. (A.N./transl.fl)