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Be united in fairness

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-06-05 07:52

World Environment Day that is being observed today gives a much-needed opportunity for all nations to come to grips with the pressing issues for concluding a new deal on climate change.

With only half a year to go before the crucial climate change convention scheduled to be held in Copenhagen, the international community cannot afford any further procrastination on finalizing a successor regime to the current Kyoto Protocol, which expires at the end of 2012.

This year's theme for the special day is "Your Planet Needs You - Unite to Combat Climate Change". It has touched on one of the most difficult aspects of global environmental actions - the need for united effort.

There has been a general consensus that climate change is a common concern of mankind and no one country can fix it alone. But, even as time is running out, international negotiations over a new climate change pact have achieved little forging an adequate global response to the immense challenge of climate change.

Clearly, one prerequisite for a united front against climate change is fairness.

A key reason behind the lack of joint effort in fighting climate change is that industrialized countries still cannot come to terms with developing countries over the division of green roles between them.

As a problem arising out of development, climate change should and can only be solved alongside development. The massive consumption of energy and resources by developed countries in the process of their industrialization has significantly increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. It is, therefore, only natural that these countries assume a greater share of the responsibility for emission cuts than developing countries in the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, it is necessary for developing countries, which are usually more vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, to promote sustainable development.

The development gap between industrialized nations and developing countries requires that the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" be upheld if any new climate change deal is to deliver desirable results.

So far this year, the worst global economic recession in many decades has occupied the mind of most policymakers around the world. It is hoped that observation of World Environment Day will not only stimulate worldwide awareness but also increase political attention and action to combat climate change. And, to meet this challenge - which, historically speaking, is a far greater one for mankind - sustainable and equitable development for all nations should be made a concomitant goal of the new climate deal.

(China Daily 06/05/2009 page8)