UN climate change chief Yvo de Boer in shock resignation
Yvo de Boer is giving up his role as executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to take up a position at consultancy group KPMG.
Also In The News
|
By Matt Hallam. |  |
Thursday, 18, Feb 2010 05:51
By Ciara Trudeau.
The UN's top climate change official is stepping down, adding to concerns that the world body is ill-equipped to lead international efforts to tackle climate change.
Yvo de Boer is giving up his role as executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to take up a position at consultancy group KPMG.
Mr De Boer has been praised for salvaging a global climate change treaty in the 11th hour of last year's Copenhagen summit in the midst of chaotic discussion and widespread disagreement. Yet, by neither specifying exact emissions for developed countries, nor a time frame to agree to a new pact, the agreement fell short of his own benchmarks for success.
His departure will leave the organisation leaderless during the most hectic negotiations it has yet faced on climate change. "It was a difficult decision to make, but I believe the time is ripe for me to take on a new challenge, working on climate and sustainability with the private sector and academia," Mr De Boer said in a statement.
"Copenhagen did not provide us with a clear agreement in legal terms, but the political commitment and sense of direction toward a low-emissions world are overwhelming," he added.
The UN has been under intense scrutiny since the summit resulted in a partial agreement and critics cite the difficulty officials faced trying to broker a consensus as proof that the process is too unwieldy to produce results.
The controversial agreement met some of the conference's aims, specifically by binding developed and developing nations together in commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but left many, including Mr De Boer, dissatisfied.
"Concerns over energy prices, energy security and climate change are driving a new agenda for sustainable economic growth. Sustainability is high on the agenda of investors, companies and governments alike. This demands new partnerships that foster strong economic growth, while respecting the need to protect the environment," Mr De Boer said.
He added: "Although it is the role of governments to provide the necessary policy frameworks, I have always maintained that business will deliver the necessary innovation and solutions, providing the right conditions are created."
UK energy and climate change minister Ed Miliband commented: "We must quickly find a suitable successor who can oversee the negotiations and reform the UNFCCC to ensure it is up to the massive task of dealing with what are some of the most complex negotiations ever."