Developed Countries Urged to Take Bigger Responsibility for Climate Change

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Monday urged developed countries to take bigger responsibility for measures to curtail climate change.

The ANC made the appeal as representatives from nearly 200 countries kicked off the COP 17, formally the 17th Conference of Parties to the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The ANC felt South Africa's representatives at the UN climate summit in Durban had to argue a case for developing countries, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said.

Developed economies accounted for most of the global emission of greenhouse gases, Mantashe said.

Developing countries still had to contend with development needs and the need to reduce climate change caused by its citizens, he said.

"In this regard, the African National Congress argues for a gradualist approach to developing countries."

He said the COP 17 was a significant initiative to address climate change.

The summit, which runs until Dec. 9, is aimed at getting countries to agree to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to levels that would keep any rise in global average temperature to below 2° C, to prevent catastrophic climate changes later this century.