§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress made at the negotiations held in Geneva in September on(a) financing and (b) ratification of the United Nations convention on climate change.
§ Mr. YeoAt the international negotiating committee meeting in August, good progress was made towards preparing for the first conference of parties to the convention, which is expected to take place in Berlin early in 1995. On financing, detailed preliminary discussions took place on support for developing countries through the global environment facility, the interim financial mechanism of the convention. Thirty-six countries have now ratified the convention. Fifty ratifications are needed to bring the convention into force. The United Kingdom has undertaken, along with our G7 and EC partners, to ratify by the end of 1993.