We need action for reducing emissions: UNFCCC official

New Delhi, Feb 5 (PTI) The Delhi Sustainable DevelopmentSummit concluded here today with a top UN climate changeofficial calling for action at global and national levels toreduce emission of greenhouse gasses.

Executive Secretary of United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Christiana Figueressaid it was "necessary to guarantee the survival of islandnations" by taking steps to prevent the increase of more than1.5 degree C in global average temperature.

The Cancun summit put in place a solid framework foraction, she said adding, in the Mexican city, governmentscould set a clear direction towards low carbon societies.

Cancun Summit was a "very important step" for thecommunity of nations, as governments renewed their trust ineach other, she felt.

She, however, said as far as climate is concerned, itwas a "small step" and to succeed fully, the governmentsneeded to press boldly ahead with what they have agreed.

Underlining the need of implementation of various aspectsof Cancun agreement, Figueres also said action was needed at"all levels."

"We certainly need action," she said.

The Cancun agreements call for countries to list underthe UNFCCC the emission reduction targets and actions whichthey announced in 2010, forming the collective basis for thelargest mitigation effort the world has ever seen.

The countries had also agreed to build a comprehensivesystem of mutual accountability towards these goals.

Earlier in the day, Nobel prize winning economistJoseph Stiglitz put forward an idea of "high carbon price" tocompel governments, industries and individuals to reduce theemission of carbon dioxide as it is the main greenhouse gascausing global warming.

The summit, organised by The Energy and ResourceInstitute (TERI), was inaugurated by Prime Minister ManmohanSingh on February 3.

Dignitaries including Afghanistan President HamidKarzai, President of the Dominican Republic Leonel FernandezReyna and President of Seychelles James Alix Michel attendedthe conference on the theme of ''Tapping Local Initiatives andTackling Global Inertia.'' PTI TGB