In
a press Conference at UN Headquarters, Tuesday,
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on
the United States, China, India and the
European Union to show "global leadership
of the highest order" in tackling climate
change.
He told reporters, "We
have no time to lose . the United States,
China, India and the European Union - all
must show the way."
The same day, the EU
announced the signing of an agreement, by
Mayors of 350 cities across 23 European
countries, to cut carbon emissions by more
than 20 percent by 2020. The cuts can save
around $10.4 billion in energy costs.
The agreement commits
cities, including London, Paris, and Brussels,
to "go beyond" a two-year pledge
by national governments to cut emissions
by 20 percent; increase energy efficiency
by 20 percent; and to increase the use of
renewable energy sources to 20 percent of
all energy used by 2020.
Addressing EU counterparts
by video link during the signing ceremony,
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg backed
the EU plan and said his city would aim
to reduce emissions by 30 percent by 2030.
Meanwhile, Secretary
General, Ban Ki-moon welcomed US President
Barack Obama's commitment to work with partners
at the international level to tackle issues
of global concern, saying, "I'm very
optimistic about his engagement; he is very
proactively engaging policies on major issues."
He added, "Reaching a new climate agreement
this year will require direct involvement
of world leaders. We need direct involvement
at the highest level of Government."
The Secretary General
confirmed the UN is planning a high-level
climate meeting with Heads of State on the
margins of the General Assembly meeting,
next September. The meeting will take place
in the lead up to the UN Climate Summit
in Copenhagen in December, which aims to
reach a global conclusive agreement on climate
change.
Thousands of people
expected for tree planting in Nairobi
Thousands of people
are expected to show up for a tree planting
ceremony organized by the UN Environment
Programme in Karura Forest on 14 February.
At the heart of the
campaign, entitled 'Trees4Love', is the
idea that people will plant trees not just
for their loved ones, but also as a symbol
of their love for the environment.
The objective is to
plant up to 5,000 trees in Karura forest
as part of targeted efforts to combat climate
change, promote the principle of carbon
sequestration and clean up Nairobi River
through catchment protection.
The total number of
trees planted will be registered under the
umbrella of the Plant for the Planet: Billion
Tree Campaign programme www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign
Launched in 2006, the
Billion Tree Campaign has catalyzed the
planting of 2.6 billion trees around the
world. In a call for further individual
and collective action, UNEP has set a new
goal of planting 7 billion trees - one per
inhabitant of the planet - by the end of
2009.
The 'Trees4Love' event
will be attended by women environment ministers
and leaders attending the UNEP Governing
Council, which takes place from 16 to 20
February in Nairobi. They will be joined
by UNEP staff members and their families,
representatives from corporate groups operating
in Kenya, the Kenya Forest Service, the
Greenbelt movement, the Kenya Red Cross
Society and the general public.
The event takes place
as a growing wave of individuals and groups
around the world continue to heed the call
of the campaign.
Barcelona-based organization
Tree-Nation is creating a park in the shape
of a giant heart with eight million trees
in the desert in Niger. The company invites
individuals to sponsor trees online then
watch them grow via satellite imagery.
Ethiopia remains the
country that has planted the biggest number
of trees - to date, 700 million trees have
been planted in the country as part of the
BTC, and this is just the beginning. Ethiopia's
Patriarch Abba Paulos has assured UNEP of
his Church's proactive role in mobilizing
its close to 45 million followers to be
part of the Billion Tree Campaign, and the
Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council
is also backing the campaign.
Practical details: The tree planting will
take place on 14 February in Karura Forest
from 1pm to 5:30pm. All are welcome.
Anne-France White, UNEP Associate Information
Officer
Cecilia Kibare
Leah Wanambwa
