United Nations climate change negotiations close with progress in key areas

CANCUN, Mexico, Dec. 11 /CNW/ - Negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change wrapped up earlier this morning at COP16 with the adoption of the Cancun Agreement.

"We came here to advance a balanced package, and we achieved that goal," said Minister Baird. "We are coming out of Cancun with progress and outcomes reflecting the interests of Canadians, and every country represented here."

The Cancun Agreement anchors the pledges inscribed in the Copenhagen Accord, which included the establishment of a Green Climate Fund that will be instrumental in mobilizing the financing needed to tackle this global challenge. We also made progress on the REDD+ mechanism to address global deforestation, the establishment of a technology transfer mechanism, and the details of an adaptation framework.

This outcome is the result of two weeks of negotiations in which Canada played a key role. "Our negotiating team worked extremely hard and I am proud of the work we have accomplished," said Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada's Chief Negotiator and Ambassador for Climate Change. "We have laid good groundwork for further progress in these complex negotiations."

We would like to recognize the leadership of Her Excellency, Mrs. Patricia Espinosa. The success of this year's Conference was in large part due to a strong Mexican Presidency.

Late last year, over 120 world leaders agreed on a path forward in the global effort to address climate change which culminated in the Copenhagen Accord. Canada has followed through on its commitment to the Accord by committing our fair share of fast-start funding and by inscribing an ambitious and realistic emissions reduction target of 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Canada will continue to work constructively to implement the Copenhagen Accord and to complete the negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for a comprehensive, legally binding post-2012 agreement that is fair, effective and comprehensive.

(Également offert en français)

                                                          

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