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'Crunch time' for climate change 'Crunch time' for climate change
(38 minutes later)
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has opened high-level talks at the climate change conference in Bali with a call to action.United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has opened high-level talks at the climate change conference in Bali with a call to action.
He said the time for equivocation was over and if no action was taken to address climate problems the world would face grave consequences.He said the time for equivocation was over and if no action was taken to address climate problems the world would face grave consequences.
He listed droughts, famines and rising sea levels as some of them.He listed droughts, famines and rising sea levels as some of them.
But Mr Ban stressed there was still time to face the issues and avoid the worst-case scenarios.But Mr Ban stressed there was still time to face the issues and avoid the worst-case scenarios.
"We gather because the time for equivocation is over," he said.
"The science is clear. Climate change is happening. The impact is real. The time to act is now."
Replacing Kyoto
Negotiators in Bali have been trying to map out the process for a climate change agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012.Negotiators in Bali have been trying to map out the process for a climate change agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012.
Broad building-blocks have already been agreed but much of the detail remains contentious, in particular how much weight to give to the heavy emissions cuts recommended by the UN's panel of scientists.Broad building-blocks have already been agreed but much of the detail remains contentious, in particular how much weight to give to the heavy emissions cuts recommended by the UN's panel of scientists.
The US among others has remained firmly against binding targets for cuts in emissions but the EU and many developing countries say they are necessary for industrialised countries.The US among others has remained firmly against binding targets for cuts in emissions but the EU and many developing countries say they are necessary for industrialised countries.
The science is clear but the political response to it less so, the BBC's Lucy Williamson reports from Bali.The science is clear but the political response to it less so, the BBC's Lucy Williamson reports from Bali.
The ministers gathered here now will need to agree on how firmly to commit themselves to the stark target set by the UN's panel of scientists.The ministers gathered here now will need to agree on how firmly to commit themselves to the stark target set by the UN's panel of scientists.
So far agreement on that has been the major sticking-point here and the ministers now have three days to come up with an answer, our correspondent notes.So far agreement on that has been the major sticking-point here and the ministers now have three days to come up with an answer, our correspondent notes.