Some 4,000 delegates evaluate implementation of UN climate change treaty

The 188 parties to the United Nations Climate Change Convention are meeting in Milan, Italy, from today until 12 December to assess the progress governments have made in reducing manmade climatic changes and to set the global agenda for the coming year.

"The fact that 2003 is on track to be one of the warmest years on record should be a warning that we must all take seriously," said Joke Waller-Hunter, the Convention's Executive Secretary.

"We can see growing evidence that many governments have been inspired by the Climate Change Convention and its Kyoto Protocol to strengthen action at the national level, but more needs to be done to stop the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations."

He said it was encouraging that low-cost technologies to reduce emissions have been increasing on the market.

Despite measures currently in place to limit emissions from Europe, Japan, the United States and other highly industrialized countries, combined emissions could grow by 8 per cent from 2000 to 2010, or to about 17 per cent over 1990 levels, the UN said.

Without ratification by the Russian Federation, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, ratified by 119 other countries, will not enter into force, but governments have used its guidelines to reinforce domestic climate change policies, it said.

The first projects under the Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), channelling private sector funds from industrialized countries into emission reduction projects in developing countries, will be registered early next year, it said.

Delegates in Milan will explore how to expand CDM activities to cover afforestation and deforestation projects that correct the amounts of carbon dioxide in the air.

During the two-week conference, the 4,000 delegates will also attend 100 workshops and debates, it said.