French President Francois Hollande likened the battle against global warming to the fight against terrorism Friday on the eve of the UN-sponsored climate change conference.
Advertisement
Premiers Kathleen Wynne of Ontario, Rachel Notley of Alberta, Christy Clark of B.C. and Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall are also in Paris for Monday’s formal start of the COP21 global climate negotiations, and will stop at the Bataclan to pay tribute later this afternoon.
At a special session on climate change at the Commonwealth Summit here, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country will help developing nations combat climate change and boost their clean energy production as he pledged almost two billion USA dollars over five years, doubling its previous commitment.
Australia’s prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has encouraged other Commonwealth leaders to send a powerful signal to other nations that strong climate change action is needed. “It is therefore up to human beings to face up to their responsibilities”.
Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion speaks with the media ahead of the Commonwealths heads of government meeting on Thursday in Valletta, Malta.
Indian officials put forth India’s views on the issue during hectic parleys here maintaining that developed countries must ensure financing and technology transfer to developing countries to help them reach their target of bringing down carbon emissions, they said.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said the financial assistance would help some of the most vulnerable countries in the Commonwealth. About 150 leaders will attend the first day of the climate talks, which are being carried out under heightened security. “In 2005 they were anticipating it. Now it’s a reality”.
Ban Ki-Moon praised the biennial gathering for finding common cause on the issue, calling the 53 nations in Malta a “microcosm” of the wider United Nations.
In just 40 days since his Liberals won a majority government on October 19, Trudeau has been to a G20 summit in Turkey, an Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit in the Philippines, visited the Queen at Buckingham Palace and now adds Malta and Paris to his resume.
The prime minister took part in a lunch with Queen Elizabeth, the 89-year-old monarch who royal watchers say may be attending her last Commonwealth meeting.
Advertisement
In recent years, the Queen has avoided long-distance travel.
