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Federal Minister Westerwelle welcomes outcome of UN Climate Change Conference in Durban
After the Climate Change Conference, Foreign Minister Westerwelle called for the momentum coming out of Durban to be used to create a comprehensive treaty with clear, globally applied reduction targets by 2015. He also pointed to the security issues associated with climate change.
In Durban the 195 States Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change have agreed to extend the Kyoto Protocol, which was due to expire in 2012, and to negotiate a successor climate treaty by 2015, which is to enter into force by 2020 at the latest and will be binding for all participating countries. They further agreed to establish a Green Climate Fund.
Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle issued the following statement today (11 December) in New York:
“An important step forward has been taken at Durban. But the effort to protect our climate must go further.
Continuing the Kyoto Protocol makes it possible for the EU and other countries with ambitious climate policies to move further ahead in combating climate change. At the same time, major economies such as China, the USA and India are being required to take on binding responsibilities for the first time.
We need to use the momentum coming out of Durban to ensure that by 2015 we have a comprehensive climate treaty with clear reduction targets which are applied globally.
It is vital to German foreign policy to ameliorate the security risks posed by climate change. We put this issue on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, and here in New York we will continue to press for action to combat climate change.”
Worldwide carbon emissions must be reduced in order to keep global warming below the maximum threshold of 2°C. In 2010, however, the world’s emissions rose by 6%. German and European international climate policy seeks a worldwide reduction in greenhouse gases in order to stay below the 2°C limit.
