UN climate chief Yvo de Boer resigns

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Article by: Creamer Media Reporter

Published: 19 Feb 2010

UN climate chief Yvo de Boer resigns

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) executive secretary Yvo de Boer on Thursday announced that he would be resigning from his position as of July 1, to take up a position at consultancy KPMG as the global adviser on climate and sustainability.

De Boer, who has led the UNFCCC since September 2006, would also work with a number of universities.

"Working with my colleagues at the UNFCCC Secretariat in support of the climate change negotiations has been a tremendous experience. It was a difficult decision to make, but I believe the time is ripe for me to take on a new challenge, working on climate and sustainability with the private sector and academia," said De Boer.

"I have always maintained that while governments provide the necessary policy framework, the real solutions must come from business. Copenhagen did not provide us with a clear agreement in legal terms, but the political commitment and sense of direction toward a low-emissions world are overwhelming. This calls for new partnerships with the business sector and I now have the chance to help make this happen," he added.

De Boer would remain in his current position until July and help negotiations move forward ahead of the Climate Change Conference in Mexico in November this year.

Countries responsible for 80% of energy related carbon-dioxide emissions have submitted national plans and targets to address the climate change, under the Copenhagen Accord. The UNFCC said that this underlines its commitment to meet the challenge of climate change and work towards an agreed outcome in Cancun.