Hijjah 17, 1431, Nov 23, 2010, SPA -- The U.N. leadership believes “significant progress is possible” at next week's climate conference in Cancun, Mexico, a top official said Monday. However, Robert Orr, the assistant U.N. secretary-general for policy planning, told reporters that no one is expecting a final global deal on climate at Cancun. “Climate change wasn't created overnight and won't be solved overnight,” he said. Last year's climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark was supposed to reach a binding agreement on mandatory reductions in global-warming gases by dozens of countries, but the talks were unsuccessful, setting back the U.N. negotiating process. Orr said that progress can be expected at Cancun on a multibillion-dollar fund to aid poorer countries to adapt to climate change and to install clean energy sources. He also said progress is possible on a complex plan to pay developing countries for protecting their forests.
