Danish PM seeks early delivery of financial aid to poor countries+

TOKYO, March 9 Kyodo -
Visiting Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen, who chaired a U.N.
climate summit in Copenhagen last December, called Tuesday for the early
implementation of financial aid worth $30 billion pledged by rich countries to
help poor nations grapple with the impact of climate change.

In an interview with Kyodo News in Tokyo, the premier said that although the
U.N. talks failed to adopt a major accord brokered by some 30 key players, the
so-called ''fast-start financing'' covering a three-year period through 2012
under the accord should be fulfilled as early as possible to facilitate future
climate negotiations.
''What I think is necessary and important is that...we try to implement
whatever can be implemented immediately, especially the fast-start money
because it will send a clear signal to the developing countries that the
developed world is ready to fulfill our promises made in Copenhagen,''
Rasmussen said.
''That could also, so to speak, pave the way for continuing negotiations in the
U.N. track. I think it is important to make that part of the accord operational
as fast as possible,'' the premier said. He expected Japan and Europe will play
a leading role in pushing forward the idea.
The meeting in the Danish capital merely ''took note of'' the Copenhagen
Accord, which is a nonbinding political pact produced after hours of backroom
maneuvering by world leaders, due to opposition from some countries that
complained about the closed-door drafting process.
As a chair, Rasmussen drew criticism for his handling of the U.N. meeting that
adopts the principle of consensus for decision-making. But the premier defended
the outcome, saying he does not ''describe Copenhagen as a total failure.''
Noting that more than 100 countries that are responsible for over 80 percent of
global greenhouse gas emissions have so far endorsed the pact, Rasmussen said
he believes the Copenhagen Accord is a ''very important stepping stone toward
this final decision'' on reaching a legally binding accord.
He also said that at present he does not see any alternative to the
consensus-based U.N. negotiations and expected that the support for the accord
from those countries would send a ''clear and strong signal'' to ''only a few''
countries that acted against it.
Global climate change talks are aimed at establishing a new framework after the
first emissions-reduction commitment period for developed countries under the
1997 Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012. The Kyoto pact does not cover mandatory
emissions cuts by China and the United States, the world's two biggest
greenhouse gas emitters.
The Copenhagen Accord calls on developed countries to set respective greenhouse
gas emissions cut targets for 2020 and for developing countries to take action
to mitigate climate change. It also stipulates that the world should limit
warming to no more than 2 C above preindustrial levels.
Some climate negotiators have recently expressed the pessimistic view that
countries may not be able to adopt a legally binding accord in the next U.N.
climate conference in Mexico slated for late November and early December, but
Rasmussen said such a posture would send a ''wrong signal.''
''It's definitely not easy to reach a final agreement in Mexico,'' the premier
said. But he added, ''I think it will be a wrong signal if we give up at this
stage. We have to continue hard work toward a legally binding international
treaty.''
Rasmussen said Denmark has been working closely with Mexico, which will take
over the chairmanship at the next U.N. climate conference in Cancun.
He lauded Japan's ambitious target of slashing its heat-trapping gas emissions
by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020, saying it ''gives some optimism to the
process,'' and requested that ''the most progressive countries such as Japan
keep this issue high on the international political agenda.''
==Kyodo
2010-03-09 23:27:07