Countries meeting at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 18) that ended in Doha, Qatar last week agreed on a firm timetable to adopt a universal climate agreement by 2015, and launched a new commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol.
Countries meeting at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 18) that ended in Doha, Qatar last week agreed on a firm timetable to adopt a universal climate agreement by 2015, and launched a new commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol.
They further agreed on a path to raise the necessary ambition to respond to climate change, endorsed the completion of new institutions, and agreed on ways to deliver more climate finance and technology to developing countries.
The Kyoto Protocol, the only existing and binding agreement under which developed countries commit to cutting greenhouse gases, has been amended so that it will continue from 1 January 2013. The first commitment period ends on 31 December 2012. The length of the second commitment period will be eight years.
The agreement came two days after Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa delivered South Africa's country statement to the conference, urging the delegates to use the Doha talks to find a global solution to the current climate-change crisis.
From the outset, South Africa was clear that a strengthened international climate regime was needed to ensure global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in order to prevent climate change from undermining development of the African continent.
Governments have agreed to speedily work toward a universal climate-change agreement covering all countries from 2020, to be adopted by 2015, and to find ways to scale up efforts before 2020 beyond the existing pledges to curb emissions so that the world can stay below the agreed maximum 2 degrees Celsius temperature rise.
Source: http://www.sanews.gov.za/
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