Reviewing the Copenhagen developments, he said that the summit was not a full success as it could not produce a full set of agreement the world needs to address the collective climate challenge. This was primarily due to the fact that the core negotiating group of countries did not represent the broader consensus of the larger constituency.

“In future we should be careful that the core negotiating group of countries should be representative in character to reflect the broader consensus of the larger constituency. The decision taken by such a core group can be endorsed by the larger constituency with some minor changes if possible. We have to achieve a deal through consensus and not through majority vote,” he said.

There would be a series of formal and informal meetings between countries and group of countries before the 16th Conference of Parties (CoP-16) scheduled at Mexico. A round of formal negotiations is scheduled in Bonn in Germany at the end of May 2010.

The UNFCCC chief is presently in India to participate in the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit.

He is of the view that a broad consensus exists for the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol. “The developing countries want the Kyoto Protocol to continue. The industrialized countries want a new protocol, but they have to see the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol,” said de Boer.

He said that some companies and some fossil oil and coal exporting countries were being threatened by high level of ambitious action to contain climate change. This was a legitimate question, he said and added “we need to strike a balance between development goals and the need to contain climate change.”

Refusing to term Copenhagen Summit a failure, de Boer said that it has raised the public consciousness and political will to deal with the situation. Following the conclusion of the climate talks in Copenhagen the UNFCCC has received submissions of national pledges to cut and limit greenhouse gases by 2020 from 55 countries. These countries together account for 78% of global emissions from energy use. About 80 countries have reacted to the Copenhagen Accord.

Though the deadline of January 31, 2010 for submission of national pledges to cut emissions is over, the UNFCCC is ready to extend the deadline

Regarding the flaw in the IPCC report on Himalayan glacier melt as pointed out by some experts, de Boer said :”Though IPCC has a team of experts it collects studies of other experts and tries to present a balanced view. The study on Himalayan glacier may not be IPCC's own study. But it is unfortunate if a mistake has crept in.”

On the question of some people seeking the resignation of the IPCC chief Dr Rajendra K Pachauri, he said : “Dr Pachauri should not resign. He has done an excellent job. The IPCC has won Nobel Prize under his stewardship.”

The UNFCCC chief cited “some valuable” outcomes of the Copenhagen Conference. It represents a political letter of intent that offers to reduce national emissions and sets a global temperature rise limit to two degrees centigrade. It defines the amount of short and long-term finance to implement climate change action in developing countries and sets a 2015 review year to check if global action by then needs to be more urgent to meet the challenge. Therefore, the world leaders should follow these outcomes calmly and focus their attention on the advantage of collective action for the future negotiations.