China and Japan take the lead on climate action
“Heads of State were united in their message that there is no option but to succeed in Copenhagen,” said James P. Leape, Director General of WWF International. “They have clearly acknowledged that negotiations need to speed up and become much more ambitious.”
“We commend the leadership from the two largest East Asian players which is impressive,” said Jim Leape. “Both President Hu and Prime Minister Hatoyama have demonstrated their commitment to implement a series of practical measures to turn rhetoric into action.”
The Swedish Prime Minister speaking for the European Union expressed its commitment to the Copenhagen success. But he issued a clear warning that the negotiations for a new climate treaty could collapse if governments failed to step up.
“We urge the EU to go further than their current pledges, especially their proposal on financial support for developing countries since this is one of the biggest impediments for progress in the climate negotiations,” said Jim Leape.
“President Obama recognized the urgency of climate change and promised that the US will do its part,” said Jim Leape. “However, the speech as a whole represents a missed opportunity for the US to take a leadership role. It was also disappointing that he did not reaffirm his previous call for action on climate financing at the upcoming G-20 Summit.”
“The President of the Maldives made it clear that climate action is a matter of sheer survival for small island states and other vulnerable countries,” said Jim Leape. “This is the dire warning for all Parties that global emissions need to peak prior to 2017 and that Copenhagen has to secure this through a legally binding outcome.”
CONTACT:
· Martin Hiller (English, German, French) [email protected], Mo: +41 793472256
· Steve Ertel (English), [email protected], Mo: +1 202 460 4641
About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
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