11.16.2006
UN's Annan Launches Plan to Help Africa on Climate (Reuters.com)
By Daniel Wallis and Gerard Wynn
NAIROBI, Nov 15 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched a plan on Wednesday to help Africa fight global warming, and criticised a "frightening lack of leadership" in confronting what he called one of the world's biggest threats.
"Global climate change must take its place alongside those threats -- conflict, poverty, the proliferation of deadly weapons -- that have traditionally monopolised first-order political attention," he told ministers at a U.N. conference.
Annan announced the plan by six U.N. agencies called the "Nairobi Framework" to help developing nations, especially in Africa, get more funds to promote clean energies such as wind and hydropower. He urged rich donor nations to contribute.
Annan also said the U.N.'s environment and development agencies were launching a scheme to help poor nations factor climate change into development plans, such as building roads, bridges or buildings to withstand more floods or droughts.
"Climate change is not just an environmental issue, as too many people still believe. It is an all-encompassing threat," he said at the talks, which are seeking ways to extend the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol on fighting climate change beyond 2012.
"While the Kyoto Protocol is a crucial step forward, that step is far too small. And as we consider how to go further still, there remains a frightening lack of leadership," he said.
Annan, a Ghanaian who will step down from his U.N. post in December, did not mention any country by name in his address to environment ministers from about 100 nations.
(More ... Reuters > News > World Crises > Article)
NAIROBI, Nov 15 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched a plan on Wednesday to help Africa fight global warming, and criticised a "frightening lack of leadership" in confronting what he called one of the world's biggest threats.
"Global climate change must take its place alongside those threats -- conflict, poverty, the proliferation of deadly weapons -- that have traditionally monopolised first-order political attention," he told ministers at a U.N. conference.
Annan announced the plan by six U.N. agencies called the "Nairobi Framework" to help developing nations, especially in Africa, get more funds to promote clean energies such as wind and hydropower. He urged rich donor nations to contribute.
Annan also said the U.N.'s environment and development agencies were launching a scheme to help poor nations factor climate change into development plans, such as building roads, bridges or buildings to withstand more floods or droughts.
"Climate change is not just an environmental issue, as too many people still believe. It is an all-encompassing threat," he said at the talks, which are seeking ways to extend the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol on fighting climate change beyond 2012.
"While the Kyoto Protocol is a crucial step forward, that step is far too small. And as we consider how to go further still, there remains a frightening lack of leadership," he said.
Annan, a Ghanaian who will step down from his U.N. post in December, did not mention any country by name in his address to environment ministers from about 100 nations.
(More ... Reuters > News > World Crises > Article)
Labels: Annan, Climate Change, Reuters, UN
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