Experts call for int'l climate agreement at Beijing forum

With the Copenhagen climate change summit just weeks away, issues concerning global warming are gaining attention. Participants at a climate change forum in Beijing have called for concerted efforts from the international community, in order to reach a broad agreement in Copenhagen.

With the Copenhagen climate change summit fast approaching, a consensus hasn't been reached between the developing and developed world, regarding cuts to carbon-emissions.

Participants at a forum in Beijing on Sunday called for concrete results to be achieved at the upcoming Copenhagen summit.

Jacqueline Mcglade, Executive Director of European Environment Agency, said, "I hope actually the citizens of the world will get much more engaged even in the last few days as we get closer to the final days, to make sure the world leaders, or negotiators, really get the message that people care, that they can go further that perhaps if it is not binding agreements within the framework, we have a way of the next year to come to something which will truly transform the way which we run the planet today."

Climate experts say differences still remain on the financial and technical support that the developed nations should provide to the developing countries to combat climate change.

Forum participants urged concerted efforts from both sides to reach a consensus.

Maurice Strong, Former UN Under-Secretary General, said, "First of all, developing countries of course will must join, it is impossible to be out of the agreement. On the other hand, the more industrialized countries that have created the problem in the first place, they are the ones who must take the lead. They must make the biggest reductions on their own CO2 emissions. they also must make the changes in the economy, enable other countries to have access to the technology, access to the financial support."

Participants praised the efforts China has made in dealing with climate change. China is expected to make good on its promise to improve energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2010. The country also pledged earlier this year to substantially cut its carbon-intensity by 2020.