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UN climate change chief praises efforts by China and US
By Zhang Yuwei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-03 11:44
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CANCUN, Mexico - The United Nations has praised China and the United States for the flexibilities both countries have shown in climate change negotiations over the past few days.
UN climate change chief Christiana Figueres said this is an important progress.
"China and US have been very vocal in the past days, and they are approaching areas of common understanding, particularly around MRV (measurement, reporting and verification)," she told China Daily.
China and US have narrowed their differences on a key issue during the talks on how to monitor greenhouse gas emissions.
Experts say it would be a crucial step that would help break through the deadlock on reducing pollutants.
Su Wei, China's chief negotiator, said in a news conference that the differences with the US over MRV "are not that huge".
He said both countries would like to promote the process of the climate talks in Cancun.
Earlier in the week, US negotiator Jonathan Pershing said the US and China had "spent a lot of energy in the past month working on those issues where we disagree and trying to resolve them".
"My sense is we have made progress," he said.
Figueres said it is always important to see countries demonstrate flexibility.
"What it demonstrated exactly is a spirit that is necessary here across all issues -which is flexibility, and going beyond your hard national positions so that there can be a common agreement," she said.
China Daily