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UN should remain mechanism for climate talks: expert

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-12-04 17:56

CANCUN, Mexico - A US expert on Thursday backed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change as the best mechanism for global action to fight global warming.

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"Having negotiations under the UN is the preferable way," Jennifer Morgan, director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Washington D.C.- based World Resources Institute told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

The most vulnerable countries are those most affected by climate change and their voice is neither heard in the G20 nor in major economic forums, Morgan said.

Only under the UN climate talk mechanism did everyone have a say, "everybody's voice can be represented, especially for those most vulnerable countries," Morgan said.

Morgan also urged relevant parties to fully realize the importance of putting the United Nations at the center of climate talks in Cancun.

"If Cancun is not a success or there isn't any progress made in Cancun, the international community won't invest in the UN (process) any more," Morgan warned.

"They will go to G20 or other major forums for bilateral deals. The importance of the framework convention will be reduced significantly," she said.

Morgan's concern is not totally groundless.

A split between rich and poor nations has dominated the talks in the past two years, but the differences widened after the Copenhagen summit last December produced no binding agreement, but only a brief document of political intentions.

Morgan's fear was echoed by Yvo de Boer, who stepped down as head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in July.

De Boer also warned that, if there is another failure," no one will take us seriously anymore." He suggested delegates in Cancun focus on small goals rather than a major treaty.

Morgan, who spends most of her time on EU relations with China and the United States, highly praised China's efforts to combat climate change.

In November 2009, China promised to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels, while increasing the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 15 percent by 2020.

During the 11th five-year (2005-2010) plan period, China has invested about 2 trillion yuan ($301 billion) in green projects, of which more than 200 billion yuan ($30 billion) came from the Chinese government, according to China's National Development and Reform Commission.

"I think, nationally, they have played a very important role in developing renewable technology and really taking this (climate change) issue seriously. Internationally, they also played a key role in negotiations," Morgan said.

"If you want to have an efficient economy,to be more energy secure, then much of what China is doing is exactly what you should be doing," she said.