SOUTH AFRICA TO HOST UN CLIMATE TALKS IN 2011

South Africa will host the 17th conference of parties under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2011, the chair of the Copenhagen climate talks, Connie Hedegaard, said on 9 December. 

With 193 parties, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has near universal membership and is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified by 190 of the UNFCCC Parties. Under the Protocol, 37 States, consisting of highly industrialised countries and countries undergoing the process of transition to a market economy, have legally binding emission limitation and reduction commitments. The ultimate objective of both treaties is to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.

The December 7-18 talks in Copenhagen are being attended by 15,000 delegates, activists and journalists. The overall goal for the Copenhagen climate talks is to establish an ambitious global climate agreement for the period from 2012 when the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol expires.

Made just prior to the talks, South Africa's bold pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 42% below the "business as usual" growth path expected by 2025 (conditional on a broader international agreement and financial aid) has been welcomed and commended.

President Jacob Zuma will attend the Climate Change talks on December 17-18. The 2010 conference will take place in Mexico City.

Source: Sapa-AFP, 20091209

« back