COP21 seeks sustainable agreement to cope climate change

Deputy director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN assistant-secretary-general Ibrahim Thiaw expressed hope that the upcoming United Nations Conference of the Parties in Paris (COP21) would result in a sustainable agreement to combat climate change.

Thiaw was in China last weekend for the Beijing Consultative Meeting on South-South Cooperation on Climate Change. He said that climate change was a world problem, and all countries must play their part to cut emissions.

COP21 opens at Le Bourget, north Paris, on Nov. 30. More than 40,000 representatives from 195 countries will participate.

Many are upbeat that COP21 will result in a binding, final agreement to ensure global warming does not exceed 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels. There will also be calls for developed countries to fulfill their promises on the Copenhagen climate summit, which was to raise 100 billion U.S. dollars every year before 2020 to support mitigation and adaptation activities in developing countries.

"It's important for us to realize that early action is necessary," Thiaw said, "Between now and 2030, we need to reduce emissions even further. If we don't [...] in 2030, we may [see a] 3.5 or 3 degrees increase. It will be a catastrophe, no one can benefit from it."

Thiaw believes that one of the main challenges is that some parties may underestimate the long term impact global warming will have on nations and the next generation.

"The decision makers [need] to understand that climate change effects everyone," Thiaw said.

"The agreement we hope to reach should be legally binding," Thiaw added.

Thiaw also praised measures by China.

China has made multiple climate pledges. These include a national carbon cap-and-trade system, to be launched in 2017 to help contain emissions; a 20-billion-yuan (3.1-billion-U.S.-dollar) South-South fund to help other developing countries combat and adapt to climate change; and cutting carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 60 percent to 65 percent from the 2005 level by 2030.

Thiaw said that the South-South fund sends a very clear message to the developed world that the commitment made in Copenhagen is real.

"We all have to contribute. If [developing countries] are able to provide support for ourselves [...] developed countries should also play your share." said Thiaw, "because the very fundamental principal of the climate change conference, is to share responsibilities."