UN rules out "double track" approach on climate change

I / United Nations March 17, 2010, 15:04 IST

Underlining that the UN will lead the climate change negotiations, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has rejected the possibility of a "double track" approach being adopted on Climate Change where simultaneous talks between the big economies run in parallel with the United Nations negotiations.

"I think that 'double track' is not desirable at this time. That should be negotiated in United Framework Convention on Climate Change. That is the firm agreement of the member states," Ban said here in response to a question posed by a journalist concerning recent remarks made by his special envoy on Climate Change, Gro Harlem Brundtland.

Speaking on the sidelines of a bio-fuel convention at Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Brundtland had said following the disappointment of the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, negotiations would also be conducted outside the fold of the UN.

"It's not only going to be focused on the UN framework, but more on what these emerging economies and big economies are committing to," she had said.

"You will have more of a double track system."

After a grueling two weeks of negotiations at Copenhagen that have been widely regarded as unsatisfactory, the parties agreed to "take note" of a non-binding document called the Copenhagen Accord. In November, countries are scheduled to meet again in Mexico to hammer out a legally-binding agreement.

Noting that "double track" were Brundtland's "personal views," Ban said, "The United Nations will continue to lead while closely coordinating with member states."

The head of the UN also underlined that in view of the large number of states, it was sometimes necessary to "engage in small groups on different agendas to facilitate the consensus building process."

The Secretary General also said that the UN had already "initiated close consultation process" with the Mexico's President, Felipe Calderon, for the end of the year conference in Cancun, and the Mexican government had already initiated small confidence building meetings with countries.

Underlining the need for more "working group meetings" to be held before the main event in Cancun, Ban noted that he was trying to add additional two or three such meetings before Cancun. The next round of talks is scheduled for May in Bonn.

"I am pleased to note that 110 countries representing more than 80 per cent of global emissions have expressed support for the Copenhagen Accord," Ban said. "This is an important advance towards Cancun."