The United Nations started this year's climate change talks in central Poland Monday to seek a deal next year to succeed Kyoto Protocol that is to expire in 2012.
Over 9000 participants from governments, non-government organizations gathered here for two weeks starting from Dec. 1 to build momentum toward Copenhagen meeting next December.
Addressing the conference, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he is convinced that the Poznan conference will serve as the basis for the success of the Copenhagen meeting.
"Combating climate change is timeless and permanent and should not be forgotten due to economic problems," Tusk said, noting the no single country can cope with the problem alone.
Poland, a country who relies heavily on coal-fired energy, has opposed the European Union's pact for fighting climate change and even threatened to veto the pact in December.
Referring to this, the prime minister agreed that fighting climate change is a challenge for Poland as it is dependent on coal.
"We'll do it," he declared, calling on all parties to show understanding of each other and show patience during the marathon talks in Poznan.
Fogh Rasmussen, Denmark prime minister, called all sides to make the climate change an even strong issue in the coming years.
"The EU countries are ready to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in 2020 as part of the global agreement," Rasmussen said. "We must agree to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by 50 percent in 2050. And we must agree on a mid-term reduction goal by 2020."
Referring to the current global financial crisis, Rasmussen said the economic situation should not affect the commitment to other urgent issues like the climate change and poverty alleviation.
UN climate chief Yvo de Boer reminded the delegates that warnings were received from economists confirming unmitigated climate change will impose significant cost on economy.
"Delaying action now will only make future action more costly," he warned.
Maciej Mowicki, Poland's Environment Minister, was elected president of this year's conference at the beginning of the conference.
During the talks attended by delegates from over 190 countries, the UN will table a negotiating text for the first time for parties to discuss so that differences will be narrowed, a key step toward a deal next year.
The meeting, however, has been shadowed by the current financial crisis which will limit governments' room for concession regarding to the climate change.
On Sunday night, UN climate chief Yvo de Boer told reporters that the financial crisis is having an impact on climate change in a number of ways. "
The financial crisis is having an impact everywhere. It is also having an impact on climate change in a number of ways, " Boer said. "The financial crisis also means that less capital available on international market."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend the meeting later next week. The United States will be represented by officials of the outgoing Bush administration.
(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2008)
