France, Amazon countries to hold summit on climate change

MANAUS, Brazil, Nov. 25 -- Leaders of France and Amazon basin countries will hold a summit on Thursday in Manaus, Brazil, aiming to reach a common proposal for next month's UN climate change conference in Copenhagen.

Brazilian presidential spokesman Marcelo Baumbach said that for Brazil it is essential that the Amazon region takes part in the December conference with a cooperative and convergent proposal.

"The Amazon rain forest, the largest ecosystem in the world, plays an important role in maintaining sustainable climate of the planet. The jungle here are both a source of steam, water and energy for the global climate and a carbon pool of the biosphere,"he said Wednesday.

"The (Brazilian) president hopes that the meeting in Manaus will yield a strong message with clear expression on the focal points of the negotiations of the Copenhagen conference and draw up basic consensus about the issue, with emphasis on emission reduction, adaptation, financing and technology (transfer)," he added.

Earlier this month, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva invited his counterparts of the countries straddling the Amazon basin for this meeting. France was also invited as its overseas department of French Guyana is located in the Amazon region.

The presidents of France, Venezuela, Ecuador and Guyana have confirmed their presence, according to Brazilian officials.

The UN climate change conference in Copenhagen will be held on Dec. 7-18, at which world leaders will try to strike a deal on a successor to the carbon-capping Kyoto Protocol.