UN Urges Acceleration of Climate Action

The latest international climate talks, held in Bonn, Germany, as a preview to the December UN summit in Copenhagen, did nothing to solve any actual issue related to the environment, but rather evidenced the fact that there was a widening conflict between developed and developing nations, when it came to deciding the best course of action for the future. Third- and second-world countries demand more funding for protecting the environment, as well as more technology transfer to them.

Also, they say that the developed world should spearhead the effort to reduce carbon emissions, as they are the ones largely responsible for global warming occurring in the first place. Countries such as Germany, the UK, the United States and Australia have tremendously high emission rates, which they have increased over the centuries. On the other hand, Asian nations such as India and China are already in the top spots as polluters, but do not agree to having their economic boom stopped by international law.

And they do have a point, some experts maintain, mostly because of the fact that developed nations, now at the peak of their industry, or already past it, are perceived as trying to limit every other nation's right to development. Representatives from poor countries argue that, if the Western world wants them to reduce costs, it should also fund such initiatives, so as to allow existing governments to take climate action, while at the same time ensuring constant economic growth.

“The numbers being discussed so far are still a significant distance from that range. More ambition is clearly needed on the part of industrialized countries,” Yvo de Boer, the executive secretary of the UN climate convention (UNFCCC), said and asked for more drastic action on climate change. WWF Global Climate Initiative leader Kim Carstensen added that, “Billions are flowing into recovery packages to save polluting industries and bad banks, but a financial stimulus to protect the UN climate talks from bankruptcy and to help those suffering from the impacts is missing,” BBC reports.