DEVELOPING NATIONS MUST HAVE ONE GOAL ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Ghana will lead a developing nation perspective in the discussions on climate change, the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko told journalists at the on going Accra Climate Talks 2008.
Earlier conference on the issue in Indonesia galvanised developing countries, which are hardest hit by climate change conditions, around a common goal for the current talks in Accra.
“Ghana’s position and Africa’s position is well under control,” Mr Ajei-Darko said.
Developing nations at the talks will be pushing for getting industrialised nations, which are heavy polluters, to keep to a reduction in their emissions, funding and technology to help developing nations better adapt to current climatic trends and mitigate effects on their countries, while developing countries will have to commit themselves to redressing deforestation, which accounts for about 20 per cent of greenhouse emissions into the atmosphere.
The minister said he was looking forward to the consolidation of these and other issues at the Accra conference, which is a prelude to the Bali Conference in Copenhagen in 2009.
He said it was expected that Copenhagen would deliver concrete positions to address the challenge.
Responding to his expectations of industrialised nations in the talks, Mr Adjei-Darko said apart from adhering to their commitments, developing nations also deemed it important to have the needed funding for adaptation and mitigation.
He added though that there was the need for collaboration as climate change and its impact did not know the traditional world ordering of rich or poor nations.
The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Mr Yvo de Boer, said the climate talks in Accra was an opportunity for both developed and developing nations to reach concrete proposals.
He said the challenge of climate change and search for solutions could not be done without input from developing nations.

DAILY GRAPHIC, MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 2008,PG 50