UN chief’s call for ambition on climate gets muted response

By FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Senior government officials at a climate meeting in Copenhagen have given a muted response to calls from the head of the United Nations for greater ambition when it comes to reducing countries’ greenhouse gas emissions. On Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged rich countries to bring forward their target for net zero emissions as close as possible to 2040, and for emerging economies to aim for as close as possible to 2050. Speaking at the end of a two-day meeting in the Danish capital Tuesday of senior officials from dozens of countries, Egypt’s foreign minister said there was no “specific answer to the aspirational goals” set out by Guterres.