Credit: Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy; Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedyengaged in significant reforms that will increase the prospects of long-term growth.  And there is now an emerging consensus that more must be done to promote growth and job creation right now in the context of these fiscal and structural reforms.  That consensus for progress was strengthened here at Camp David. Today we agreed that we must take steps to boost confidence and to promote growth and demand while getting our fiscal houses in order.  We agreed upon the importance of a strong and cohesive eurozone, and affirmed our interest in Greece staying in the eurozone while respecting its commitments.  Of course, we also recognised the painful sacrifices that the Greek people are making at this difficult time, and I know that my European colleagues will carry forward these discussions as they prepare for meetings next week. The leaders here understand the stakes. They know the magnitude of the choices they have to make and the enormous political, economic, and social costs if they do not.  In addition to our G8 meeting, I was able to talk to them individually over the last two days and I reaffirmed that Europe has the capacity to meet its challenges, and America is not only confident in their ability to meet their challenges, but we are supportive of their efforts. Today, following our discussion of the economy, we also made progress on a range of other important challenges. We discussed the importance of pursuing an all-of-the-above strategy for energy security in a safe and sustainable way.  Leaders agreed to join a new US-led coalition to address climate change, in part by reducing short-lived pollutants.  And in the face of increasing disruptions in the supply of oil, we agreed that we must closely monitor global energy markets.  Together, we stand ready to call upon the International Energy Agency to take action to ensure that the market remains fully and timely supplied.We also announced a new alliance on food security with African leaders and the private sector as part of an effort to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next decade.  We discussed our support for a sustainable Afghan economy as we wind down the war, and we reaffirmed our support for the democratic transitions underway in the Middle East and North Africa.I am very pleased that we were able to make some important progress here at Camp David.  And we are going to keep at it. nThis is an edited version of President Barack Obama's remarks at Closing of the G8 Summit in Camp David, USA, on 19 May 2012.. For further information please visit: www.whitehouse.gov G-20 MEMBERS 039

The Durban platform to strengthen the international climate change regimeEdna Molewa, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, South Africa Head of South African Delegation for COP17 After a year of intensive negotiation, the final outcome of Durban is historic and precedent setting, ranking with the 1997 conference where the Kyoto Protocol was adopted. In the dying hours of this watershed conference we were able to agree on a comprehensive deal. This agreement not only significantly advances the global effort needed now to address the global climate change crisis; but also sets a new long-term pathway for the development of a fair, ambitious and legally binding future multi-lateral and rules-based global climate change system which can balance climate and development imperatives. It ensures the fair participation of all countries (both developed and developing) in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, both now and in the future. Overall, this climate change conference has been characterised by a new willingness on the part of all parties to move beyond entrenched negotiating positions and unconstructive rhetoric and engage with the challenges of achieving economic development in an increasingly carbon constrained world. This represents a significant and hopeful step forward.In order to address what needs to be done now, Durban ensured the preservation of the Kyoto Protocol through its decision on the adoption of the 2nd commitment period capturing legally binding commitments of developed countries beyond the expiration date of the 1st commitment period in 2012. Under the convention we anchored emission reduction targets for developed countries that are not willing to be part of the Kyoto 2nd commitment period, as well as emission mitigation actions of developing countries and were able to elaborate the Swiss-image.ch/Photo by Moritz Hager Copyright by World Economic Forum.040 post-durban remarks