Keynote address 2
| Session summary |
| The session focussed on the need to resolve problems,
bridge differences, and work to preserve the environment against the effects of climate
change. Mr. Michael Zammit Cutajar discussed the linkages between climate change,
vulnerability to disasters, and poverty. He pointed out that the impact of climate change
will be felt more by the poor, who are least able to adapt, and hence, introduce a new
element of uncertanity into our world. Scientific evidence of climate changes and human
responsibility for this is stronger than ever before. It is essential to plan adaptations
to the inevitable impacts in advance, and to strengthen the resilience of people and their
livelihoods. Through international negotations to address the challenge of climate change
have ended in an impasse and despite the complexity of the issues and the inadequacy of
political will to confront them, there are encouraging signs such as corporate interest in
becoming the driver of green innovation. Mr Cutajar
called upon developing countries to take the lead in exploring qualitative emission
reduction commitments based on per capita considerations consistent with their economic
and social priorities, and dependent on demonstrable progress by developed countries. Dr
Sujata Gupta expressed the hope that headway would be made at the resumed session of
COP-6, and analyzed the key issues arising from the negotiations. Both speakers stress the
need to work within the existing framework with political imagination and trust, and to
develop a minimum set of rules. Finally, both emphasized the need to look beyond the
short-term issues and recognize that equity, pivoted on per capita principles, is
essential to attain convergence of green emissions in the long run. |
| Chairperson |
Prof.
Akio Morishima
Chair of the Board of Directors,
The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan
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| Introduction |
Dr Sujata
Gupta
Dean, Policy Analysis Division, TERI,
New Delhi, India
Climate change negotiations: a TERI perspective "The
issue of sinks has become extremely political"
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Mr
Michael Zammit Cutajar
Executive Secretary,
UNFCCC Climate Change Secretariat, Germany "Climate change is inevitable. Thus, adaptation to climate
change must become the aim of all countries"
"Although climate change does not have the immediacy
of an earthquake, it has a ‘creeping effect’ on our lives." |
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