2010 Millennium Development Goals progress report: climate action within grasp
[ added 5 July, 2010 ]
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The United Nations has issued the Millennium Development Goals Report 2010 assessing progress towards their achievement. In relation to climate change, the progress report draws upon the ozone protection Montreal Protocol as a case demonstrating that international “action on climate change is within our grasp”.
With only five years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, world leaders will meet in New York on 20-22 September 2010 to review progress, assess obstacles and gaps, and agree on concrete strategies and actions to meet the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. Ahead of the summit, the United Nations (UN) has issued the Millennium Development Goals Report 2010 assessing the progress towards their achievement. Overall the 2010 report shows that the Goals are achievable when nationally owned development strategies, policies and programmes are supported by international development partners.
Much remains to be done in order to response decisively to the climate change problem
One of the targets under MDG 7 “Ensuring environmental sustainability” is to integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources. “A decisive response to climate change is urgently needed”, reads the 2010 MDG report. “ Last year’s negotiations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change yielded some results, but much remains to be done in order to formulate and put in place a decisive response to the climate change problem by the international community.”
“The unparalleled success of the Montreal Protocol shows that action on climate change is within our grasp”
The UN progress report draws upon the Montreal Protocol as a case demonstrating that international action to respond to environmental challenges is possible. Indeed 196 parties have signed the Montreal Protocol and phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), making it the first treaty of any kind to achieve universal ratification.
Throughout the Montreal Protocol process, “developing countries have demonstrated, that, with the right kind of assistance, they are willing, ready and able to become full partners in global efforts to protect the environment”, meet agreed upon targets or even exceed those.
“Parties to the Montreal Protocol are now examining ways to use the treaty’s vigorous implementation regime to promote even greater climate change benefits”, reads the report, referring to recent proposals to regulate also hydroflurocarbons (HFCs), which do not harm the ozone layer but are potent greenhouse gases, under the same process.
To read the UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2010 click here.
