Ki-Moon says ‘No plan B’ as UN climate summit opens

Ki-moon said: “Climate change is not a far-off problem. It is happening now and is having very real consequences on people’s lives. Climate change is disrupting national economies, costing us dearly today and even more tomorrow.  But there is a growing recognition that affordable, scalable solutions are available now that will enable us all to […]

Ki-moon said: “Climate change is not a far-off problem. It is happening now and is having very real consequences on people’s lives. Climate change is disrupting national economies, costing us dearly today and even more tomorrow.  But there is a growing recognition that affordable, scalable solutions are available now that will enable us all to leapfrog to cleaner, more resilient economies.”
The UN Secretary-General has invited world leaders, from government, finance, business, and civil society to Climate Summit 2014 to galvanize and catalyze climate action.  
He has asked these leaders to bring bold announcements and actions to the Summit that will reduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and mobilize political will for a meaningful legal agreement in 2015.
Climate Summit 2014 provides a unique opportunity for leaders to champion an ambitious vision, anchored in action that will enable a meaningful global agreement in 2015.
Bamidele F. Oni, Executive Director of Green Impact International, said that in 1997, when the whole world birthed the Kyoto Treaty, “it was like we were certainly reaching a monumental turning point in the history of humanity when we can all work unanimously towards curbing the unhealthy increase in global greenhouse gas concentration.  The commitment period was seen as a reasonable timeframe to get the goal of the protocol achieved and set a motion for a new world order in the regards of zero emission future. Alas, 2012 arrived and it was like we were still at the basis of preparation, canvassing for a total ratification and then it became so reasonable to conclude on the note that humanity would be held largely responsible for the catastrophic changes enabled by our inaction towards making a concrete agreement that would ensure a safe future.”
“For over fifteen years of the Kyoto commitment, we have been able to achieve little less than expected while most of the promises have set records of being all paper-based propaganda.  Year after year, we assemble for conference of parties holding various high level deliberations that have not yielded a tangible result. The commitments of the developed countries have been on declining sequence overtime while promised contributions towards building frontiers of adaptation and mitigation in the developing world have largely remained what the are, promises, Mr. Oni said.
Ban Ki-Moon’s organized climate summit according to him, holds a lot of promise as it would be bringing together world powers and leaders to making headway in preparation for the new climate deal in Paris come 2015.
“Also, by 2015, the new developmental agenda will see the light of day and the need to set a nexus between the goals and climate change will be a dire need to achieve a total development especially in the wise of addressing poverty in the realms of the possible influence on climate change.
“In view of being serious and committed to ensuring we take humanity to the next phase of development, we just can’t afford the luxury of waiting again to dance around at the same point we have been for over the last 15 years, we need to make a clear headway to lead into the future.  Each country will have to stand now and make a tangible commitment,” he said.