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UN climate chief praises efforts by China, US

By Zhang Yuwei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-12-03 15:54

CANCUN, Mexico - The flexibility China and the United States have each exhibited during the climate change negotiations in the past few days demonstrates important progress, said UN climate change chief Christiana Figueres.

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"China and the US have been very vocal in the past days, and they are approaching areas of common understanding, particularly around MRV" (Measurable, Reportable and Verifiable mechanism), Figueres told China Daily.

China and the US have narrowed their differences on this key issue during the climate talks, specifically regarding how to monitor greenhouse gas emissions. Experts say that this is a crucial step that will help break through the deadlock on a plan to reduce pollutants.

Su Wei, China's chief negotiator, said at a recent press conference that the differences between the two countries over MRV "are not that huge."

Earlier in the week, US negotiator Jonathan Pershing said the US and China had "spent a lot of energy in the past month working on those issues where we disagree and trying to resolve them."

"My sense is we have made progress," he said.

"It is always important to see countries that demonstrate flexibility. What it demonstrated exactly is a spirit that is necessary here across all issues - which is flexibility, and going beyond your hard national positions so that there can be a common agreement," Figueres said.