Members of Commonwealth meeting discuss climate change, security

World Today

French President Francois Hollande said it is the duty of mankind to reach a global agreement on climate change and compared environmental damage to the threat posed by terrorism. Hollande travelled to Malta to lobby the Commonwealth heads of State meeting, even though France is not a former British colony. CCTV’s Jack Barton reports from the Malta.

Hollande met with leaders and representatives of the 53 Commonwealth member states as well as the United Nation’s secretary General. Together they’re attempting to strike a common agreement on new climate change targets ahead of a major UN summit.

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“On Monday we will open up in Paris the climate conference and it is a duty for mankind to be able in the days to come to reach an agreement, a binding agreement, a universal agreement, one that is ambitious,” he said.

Hollande also came to discuss terrorism, but reminded the audience that climate change represented no less of a threat.

“Man is the worst enemy of man. We can see it with terrorism. But we can say the same when it comes to climate — human beings are destroying nature, damaging the environment, it is therefore for human beings to face up to their responsibilities for the future generations,” Hollande said.

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On top of a seeking an agreement on new climate change targets, Commonwealth states also agreed on immediate tangible measures.

Many small countries, particularly island nations in the Pacific are facing an immediate threat from rising seawaters as well as from drought or flooding. They will soon have access to assistance from a Commonwealth climate finance hub to be established in Mauritius.

Australia has already promised $1 million towards the fund and other pledges are expected before the end of the informal summit.

And Canada is lobbying Commonwealth members to contribute more to the United Nation’s climate fund, which aims to raise $100 billion annually.


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