Interview: Developed countries need to shoulder due ... - Xinhua

Interview: Developed countries need to shoulder due responsibilities for climate change, says former UN official-Xinhua

by Xinhua writers Tai Beiping, Guo Shuang

DUBAI, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Developed countries that have caused the major part of global warming should take on their due responsibilities for climate change, a former senior UN official has said.

"Europe, North America, Japan and a few other most developed countries in the world are the countries who have caused the problem," Erik Solheim, former UN under-secretary-general and former executive director of the UN Environment Programme, told Xinhua.

Taking into account their carbon missions in history, those rich developed countries are emitters that have produced the major part of greenhouse gases in the world, Solheim said during the ongoing COP28 climate talks.

Even at present, in per capita terms, carbon emission of the United States is still many times higher than that of some Asian and African countries, he said.

Solheim urged those developed nations to face up to the responsibilities and offer more help to developing countries in coping with the challenges brought by climate change.

COP28, or the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 here in the United Arab Emirates.

Climate finance, among others, is a focal topic for delegates at the gathering. Developed countries are on many occasions urged to honour their commitments on delivering climate funds.

As for why some developed nations are reluctant to pay, Solheim said, "They are afraid that the public back home will not support giving lots of money to other parts of the world."

While it takes efforts from many aspects to address climate change, money does make a difference, Solheim said. It can help the climate change victims get better prepared when disasters occur.

Facilities including warning systems and communication tools can help people stay alert, he said. "You will see more climate catastrophes. They will probably kill much fewer people."

For the COP28 climate talks, Solheim said the most important part is that governments, businesses and activists are coming together, exchanging views, making business deals and sharing best practices.

The former UN official said he was looking forward to some good results in Dubai.

"We have a shared future. We have only one planet and we share it. If you destroy it, humanity will disappear," he said. ■