குறைந்து வரும் விவசாய நிலங்கள்

மணிஷ்

First Published : 26 Dec 2009 12:08:46 AM IST

Last Updated :

அரிசி இறக்குமதி செய்ய,​​ நீண்டகா​ லத்​திற்​குப் பின்​னர் மத்​திய அரசு சமீ​பத்​தில் அனு​மதி வழங்​கி​யுள்ளது.​ இந்தியாவின் உயிர்நாடித் ​ தொழில் விவசாயம்.​ அதிலும்,​​ அரிசி இந்தியர்களின் முக்கிய உணவாக உள்ள நிலையில் இத்தகைய இறக்குமதிக்கான அனுமதி நாட்டில் ​ விவசாயம் தேய்ந்து வருவதை மிகத் தெளிவாக எடுத்துக் கூறுவதாக அமைந்துள்ளது.மத்திய விவசாயத்துறை அமைச்சர் சரத்பவார் ​(2009,​ ஜூலை 24-ம் தேதி)​ மாநிலங்களவையில் தெரிவித்த தகவல்படி,​​ இந்தியாவின் ​ அரிசி உற்பத்தி முந்தைய ஆண்டை விட 21 சதவீதம் குறைந்துள்ளது.​ அதாவது 1 கோடியே 45 லட்சம் ஹெக்டேராக இருந்த நெல் ​ பயிரீடு 1 கோடியே 10 லட்சம் ஹெக்டேராகக் குறைந்துள்ளது.நாட்டின் அரிசி உற்பத்தியில் முக்கியப் பங்கு வகிக்கும் உத்தரப்பிரதேசம்,​​ பிகார்,​​ மேற்கு வங்கம்,​​ சத்தீஸ்கர் ஆகிய மாநிலங்களில் நெல் ​ பயிரிடுவது கணிசமான அளவுக்குக் குறைந்திருக்கிறது.​ ​தமிழகத்தின் மொத்த உணவுதானிய உற்பத்தியில் 85 சதவீதத்தை அரிசிதான் பெற்றுள்ளது.​ மாநிலத்தில் சுமார் 19 லட்சம் ஹெக்டேர் பரப்பளவில் நெல் பயிரிடப்படுகிறது.​ ஆனால்,​​ இங்கும் விவசாய நிலங்கள் மெல்ல மெல்ல சுருங்கி வருகிறது.​ தமிழகத்தின் நெற்களஞ்சியமாகக் கருதப்பட்ட தஞ்சைப் பகுதி தற்போது பெரும் பின்னடைவை நோக்கிச் சென்று கொண்டிருக்கிறது.​ ஆம்,​​ காவிரிப் படுகைப் ​ பகுதிகளில் தனியார் அனல்மின் நிலையங்கள் அமைக்கப்படுவதற்காக நூற்றுக்கணக்கான ஏக்கர் விளைநிலங்கள் விவசாயிகளிடமிருந்து விலைக்கு வாங்கப்படுகின்றன.​ இதனால்,​​ வாங்கப்படும் விவசாய நிலங்கள் மட்டுமன்றி அதன் அருகிலுள்ள விளைநிலங்கள் ​ மற்றும் மக்கள் வாழும் பகுதிகளில் கடும் சுற்றுச்சூழல் சீர்கேடு ஏற்படும் அபாயமும் உள்ளது.​ ​ ​கிராமங்களில் ஒரு சில ஏக்கர் விளைநிலத்தை மட்டும் வைத்திருப்பவர்கள்கூட கல்லூரி,​​ மருத்துவமனை,​​ தொழிற்சாலை மற்றும் ரியல் எஸ்டேட் ​ உரிமையாளர்களிடம் தங்கள் நிலத்தை விற்பதில் ஆர்வம் காட்டி வருகின்றனர்.​ இதைத் தடுப்பதற்கு கேரளத்தில் உள்ளதுபோல் விளைநிலத்தை குடியிருப்புப் பகுதி உள்ளிட்ட வேறு பயன்பாட்டுக்குப் பயன்படுத்த கடும் விதிமுறைகளை அனைத்து மாநிலங்களும் அமல்படுத்த ​ வேண்டும்.2005}06-ம் ஆண்டு தகவல்படி அரிசி உற்பத்தியில் விழுப்புரம் மாவட்டம் முதலிடத்தில் உள்ளது.​ இம்மாவட்டத்தில் 1,68,435 ஹெக்டேர் ​ நிலத்தில் நெல் பயிரிடப்படுகிறது என்று தமிழக அரசின் இணையதளம் தெரிவிக்கிறது.​ ​(நாகை மாவட்டம் இரண்டாமிடத்திலும்,​​ தஞ்சை ​ மாவட்டம் மூன்றாமிடத்திலும் உள்ளன.)​ நாடு முழுவதும் பெரும்பாலான புறநகர்ப் பகுதிகளில் கட்டுமானத் துறை மிக வேகமாக வளர்ச்சி ​ பெற்று வருகிற நிலையில்,​​ தமிழகத்தில் குறிப்பாக விழுப்புரம்,​​ காஞ்சிபுரம்,​​ திருவண்ணாமலை ஆகிய மாவட்டங்களில் தற்போது ஏராளமான விவசாயிகள் தங்கள் நிலத்தை செங்கல் சூளைகளாக மாற்றத் தொடங்கியுள்ளனர்.​ ​செங்கல் சூளைத் தொழில் லாபகரமாக உள்ளது என்றாலும்,​​ இது பூமி வெப்பமயமாவதை மேலும் அதிகரிக்கச் செய்யும் அபாயமும் ​ இருக்கிறது.​ சுமார் ஒரு லட்சம் செங்கற்களைத் தயாரிக்க 30 முதல் 40 டன் மரங்கள் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றன.​ இதற்காக ஆயிரக்கணக்கான மரங்கள் தொடர்ந்து வெட்டப்படுகின்ற நிலையில் காடுகள் அழிக்கப்படுவதுடன் பூமி வெப்பமும் அதிகரிக்கிறது.குடியிருப்புப் பகுதிகள் பெருகிய நிலையில் ஏரி நீர்ப்பாசனம்,​​ கால்வாய் நீர்ப்பாசனம் ஆகிய பாரம்பரிய நீர்ப்பாசன முறைகள் குறைந்து கிணற்றுநீர்ப் பாசனம் அதிகரிக்கத் தொடங்கியது.​ ஆனால்,​​ தற்போது கிணற்றுநீர்ப் பாசனமும் வெகுவாகக் குறைந்துள்ளது.​ 1974-ல் ​ தமிழகத்தில் சுமார் 7 லட்சம் பம்ப்செட்டுகள் இருந்தன.​ ஆனால்,​​ தற்போது சுமார் 20 லட்சம் பம்ப்செட்டுகள் உள்ளன.மாநிலத்தில் உள்ள அனைத்து ஆறுகளிலும் மணல் கொள்ளை நடைபெற்று வருவது ஊரறிந்த ரகசியம்.​ இதனால் ஆற்றுப் படுகைகளில் ​ நிலத்தடி நீர்மட்டம் குறைந்து அருகிலுள்ள விவசாயப் பாசனக் கிணறுகள் வறண்டு வருகின்றன.​ இதனால்,​​ தண்ணீர் இல்லாத நிலையில் -​ வானமும் பொய்த்துவிடுகின்ற சூழலில் -​ விவசாயிகள் மாற்றுத் தொழிலுக்கு மாற வேண்டிய கட்டாயத்திற்கு ஆளாகின்றனர்.​ இதனால் ​ விளைநிலங்கள் 'விலை'நிலங்களாக வேறு பணிகளுக்கு மாற்றம் பெறுகின்றன.தமிழகத்தில் 2004}2005-ம் ஆண்டில் மொத்த உணவுதானிய உற்பத்தி 61,46,044 டன்கள் ஆகும்.​ ஆனால்,​​ 2005}06-ல் 61,16,145 ​ டன்கள் தான்.​ இது முந்தைய ஆண்டைவிட 29,899 டன்கள் குறைவு என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.ரியல் எஸ்டேட் துறை தற்போதைய அளவுக்கு அசுர வளர்ச்சி பெறாத காலத்திலேயே இத்தகைய வீழ்ச்சி ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது என்றால்,​​ விளைநிலங்கள் வீட்டுமனைகளாகவும்,​​ தொழிற்சாலைகளாகவும்,​​ சிறப்புப் பொருளாதார மண்டலங்களாகவும் உருமாறி வரும் இன்றைய ​ காலத்தில் விவசாயத்தின் பரிதாப நிலை என்னவாக இருக்கும் என்பதைக் கணித்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள்.கிராமப்புற வங்கிகள்,​​ விவசாய கூட்டுறவு வங்கிகள் ஆகியவை விவசாயிகளுக்கு அளிக்கும் மொத்தக் கடன்களைவிட,​​ வர்த்தக வங்கிகள் ​ தொழிற்சாலைகளுக்கு அளிக்கும் கடன்களின் அளவு நம் நாட்டில் எப்போதுமே பல மடங்கு அதிகமாக உள்ளது.​ இந்நிலை மாறி ​ விவசாயத்துக்குத் தேசிய வங்கிகளும் தனியார் வங்கிகளும் பெருமளவில் முன்னுரிமை அளிக்க வேண்டும்.உரங்களுக்காக விவசாயிகள் பெரும் தொகையைச் செலவழிக்க வேண்டியிருப்பதால் இயற்கை மற்றும் பாரம்பரிய விவசாய முறை குறித்த ​ விழிப்புணர்வை அவர்களிடம் ஏற்படுத்த அரசும் சமூக ஆர்வலர்களும் முன்வர வேண்டும்.இந்தியாவின் 75 சதவீத மக்கள் தொகையைக் கொண்ட கிராமங்களில் வசிக்கும் ​ விவசாயிகளின் வாழ்வாதாரத்தை காக்கும் பொருட்டு மத்திய,​​ மாநில அரசுகள் விரைந்து நடவடிக்கையில் இறங்க வேண்டும்.​ கிராமப்புற இளைஞர்கள் விவசாயம் மற்றும் விவசாயம் சார்ந்த ​ குறுந்தொழில்களில் ஈடுபட அரசு ஊக்கப்படுத்த வேண்டும்.​ அவர்களுக்கு வங்கிக் கடன்கள் மேலும் எளிதாகக் கிடைக்கும் வகையில் ​ நடைமுறைகள் எளிமைப்படுத்தப்பட வேண்டும்.​ ​இன்றைய தலைமுறையினர் விவசாயத்தின் மீது எந்தவித ஈடுபாடும் இல்லாத நிலையை முற்றிலும் மாற்ற அரசு முனைப்புடன் பல ஊக்குவிப்புத் திட்டங்களை அறிமுகப்படுத்தி அவற்றை நடைமுறைப்படுத்தினால் மட்டுமே விவசாயத்தையும் அதுசார்ந்த கிராமப்புற மக்களின் வாழ்க்கைத் தரத்தையும் மேம்படுத்த முடியும்.​​

Source> http://www.dinamani.com/

வடகிழக்கு பருவமழை:​ 11 மாவட்டங்களில் ​இயல்பைவிட அதிகம்

சென்னை,​​ டிச.​ 25: தமிழகத்தில் வடகிழக்கு பருவமழை படிப்படியாக ஓய்ந்து வருகிறது.​ 11 மாவட்டங்களில் இயல்பான அளவை விட அதிகம் பெய்துள்ளது.​ மாநிலத்தில் வெள்ளிக்கிழமை வரை ஒட்டுமொத்தமாக பதிவான சராசரி மழையளவு 419.1 மில்லி மீட்டரை எட்டியுள்ளது.​ இது இயல்பான மழையளவை விட 15 சதவீதம் அதிகம்.​ புதுவையில் அதிக மழைப்பொழிவு:​​ புதுச்சேரியில் இதுவரை பதிவாகியுள்ள ஒட்டுமொத்த சராசரி மழையளவு 846.7 மில்லி மீட்டராகும்.​ இது இயல்பான அளவை விட 39 சதவீதம் கூடுதலாகும்.​

சென்னை வானிலை ஆய்வு மைய புள்ளி விவரங்களின்படி மாவட்ட வாரியாக கடந்த 83 நாள்களில் பெய்துள்ள மழையளவு,​​ அடைப்புக் குறிக்குள் இயல்பான மழையளவு ​(மில்லி மீட்டரில்)​ ​ விவரம்:

1. அரியலூர் 584.6 ​(438.9) ​
2. சென்னை 799.8 ​(725.1) ​
3. கோயம்புத்தூர் 297.7 ​(320.1)
4. கடலூர் 959.1 ​(694.3)
5. தர்மபுரி 244.3 ​(311.8)
6. திண்டுக்கல் 467.3 ​(386.6)
7. ஈரோடு 324.6 ​(317.7)
8. காஞ்சிபுரம் 757.1 ​(679.9)
9. கன்னியாகுமரி 451.0 ​(418.5)
10. கரூர் 343.5 ​(357.9)
11. கிருஷ்ணகிரி 231.9 ​(287.8)
12. மதுரை 301.8 ​(360.9)
13. நாகப்பட்டினம் 1,339.9 ​(846.1) ​
14. நாமக்கல் 207.5 ​(287.5)
15. நீலகிரி 872.6 ​(359.3)
16. பெரம்பலூர் 435.3 ​(43894)
17. ​புதுச்சேரி 1,178.1 ​(846.7) ​
18. புதுக்கோட்டை 478.7 ​(404.2)
19. ​ராமநாதபுரம் 638.2 ​(486.8) ​
20. சேலம் 243.6 ​(342.7)
21. சிவகங்கை 438.1 ​(399.4)
22. தஞ்சாவூர் 810.3 ​(525.6)
23. தேனி 379.1 ​(373.8)
24. திருநெல்வேலி 645.6 ​(411.4)
25. திருவள்ளூர் 589.9 ​(588.6)
26. திருவண்ணாமலை 436.5 ​(431.9)
27. திருவாரூர் 955.2 ​(632.5)
28. திருச்சி 384.6 ​(346.9)
29. தூத்துக்குடி 488.2 ​(398.3)
30. வேலூர் 238.8 ​(346.2)
31. விழுப்புரம் 659.1 ​(472.1)
32. விருதுநகர் 331.0 ​(420.0)​

தமிழகத்தில் மிக அதிகபட்சமாக நீலகிரி மாவட்டத்தில் தான் இயல்பான மழையளவை விட 143 சதவீதம் அதிகமாக மழை பெய்துள்ளது.​ இதைத் தொடர்ந்து அரியலூர்,​​ கடலூர்,​​ திண்டுக்கல்,​​ விழுப்புரம்,​​ நாகப்பட்டினம்,​​ ராமநாதபுரம்,​​ தஞ்சாவூர்,​​ திருவாரூர்,​​ தூத்துக்குடி,​​ திருநெல்வேலி ஆகிய மாவட்டங்களிலும் இயல்பான அளவை விட கூடுதலாக மழை பெய்துள்ளது.​ இதர மாவட்டங்களிலும் இயல்பான அளவையொட்டி மழை பெய்துள்ளது.5 மாவட்டங்களில் மழையளவு வீழ்ச்சி:​​ தர்மபுரி,​​ நாமக்கல்,​​ சேலம்,​​ வேலூர்,​​ விருதுநகர் ஆகிய 5 மாவட்டங்களில் இயல்பான அளவை விட குறைவாகவே மழை பெய்துள்ளது.

Source> http://www.dinamani.com/edition/story.aspx?SectionName=Tamilnadu&artid=174185

NGOs and scientists are largely shell shocked

Yet, amidst statements of general disappointment over the outcome of the UN conference on climate change in Copenhagen, some green interest groups are beginning to look ahead.

Morten Andersen 20/12/2009 18:10

Comments displaying disappointment are plentiful from NGOs and scientists in the early aftermath of the UN conference in Copenhagen.

“What we have after two years of negotiation is a half-baked text of unclear substance. With the possible exceptions of US legislation and the beginnings of financial flows, none of the political obstacles to effective climate action have been solved,” Kim Carstensen, Leader of global conservation organization WWF’s Global Climate Initiative, states in a press release.

According to WWF’s estimates, the contents of the Copenhagen Accord translates into “three degrees Celsius of warming or more” and “millions of lives, hundreds of billions of dollars and a wealth of lost opportunities lie in the difference between rhetoric and reality on climate change action.”

The accord “clearly falls well short of what the public around the world was expecting (…) it’s clearly not enough to keep temperatures on a track below two degrees,” says Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists, according to Reuters.

The two degree target is linked by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to keeping the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere below 450 ppm (parts per million).

“Going above 450 parts per million will change everything. It’s not just one or two things. There will be changes in water, food, ecosystems, health, and those changes also interact with each other,” Cynthia Rosenzweig, NASA climate impacts researcher, tells AP.

According to Reuters, Jake Schmidt of the Natural Resources Defence Council says that “part of the dysfunction (of the Copenhagen talks) is that China is feeling its way into a new, more powerful role.”

Under the Copenhagen Accord, the countries that sign on will need to declare their national emissions targets. Their measures will be subject to international consultations, but if a country falls short this will have no consequences as the accord isn’t legally binding.

According to AP, Gregg Marland, who keeps track of worldwide carbon dioxide emission at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA, thinks that “voluntary carbon reductions fall far short of what’s needed to address climate change (…) I don’t see people going very far voluntarily without incentives to do it, and that comes from government.”

WWF states that “on a more positive note, attention will now shift to a host of initiatives by countries, cities, companies and communities that are starting to build low carbon economies from the base up.”

“We are disappointed but the story continues. Civil society was excluded from these final negotiations to an extraordinary degree, and that was felt during the concluding days in Copenhagen. We can assure the world, however, that WWF and other elements of civil society will continue engaging in every step of further negotiations,” says WWF’s Kim Carstensen.

Source> http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=3078

Copenhagen Accord an ‘important beginning’

Priscilla Jebaraj

It contains very few specific figures, commitments or timelines in the global fight against climate change

COPENHAGEN: The official name is the ‘Copenhagen Accord.’ Depending on whom you ask, it’s defined as anything from a “reference document” to the precursor of a “legally binding treaty.”

After a stormy overnight session, negotiators at the United Nations climate talks held here over the last two weeks cobbled together an agreement of sorts. However, questions are being raised about the effectiveness of the deal, which contains very few specific figures, commitments or timelines in the global fight against climate change.

“The Copenhagen Accord may not be everything everyone had hoped for, but this decision... is an important beginning,” said U.N. Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon. He is among those who believe that it is operational immediately and must be transformed into a “legally binding treaty” within a year. On the other hand, a senior Indian negotiator said, it is viewed as “a reference document,” a political declaration which was not a decision under the U.N. framework.

The confusion over the nature of the agreement arises from the fact that it was not “adopted by consensus,” due to strong objections by some countries. After an acrimonious debate and an adjournment filled with frantic bargaining, the chairman announced that the conference would instead “take note” of the accord, and swiftly brought his gavel down. Countries that approve the accord are free to add their names to it.

India will be one of those countries, since it championed the deal along with other BASIC countries and the U.S. With that deal sewed up, the big names — including Dr Singh and U.S. President Barack Obama — flew home, but negotiators then slogged it out in a marathon all-night session.The accord promises a mobilisation of $100 billion in annual funding for developing countries to meet the challenges of climate change from 2020 and also pledges about $30 billion by 2012. It sets a target limiting temperature increases to a maximum of two degrees celsius, but fails to specify the greenhouse gas emission cuts that nations need to commit themselves to in order to meet that goal.

There is no deadline for global emissions to peak, which pleases India, but left many scientists, activists and vulnerable countries disappointed. The Indian team is also happy about the focus on equity, but admitted that it had relaxed its position on monitoring and verification of domestic mitigation actions.

Source> http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/20/stories/2009122058730100.htm

U.N. climate talks end with bare minimum agreement

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - U.N. climate talks ended with a bare-minimum agreement on Saturday when delegates "noted" an accord struck by the United States, China and other emerging powers that falls far short of the conference's original goals.

Green Business

"Finally we sealed a deal," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. "The 'Copenhagen Accord' may not be everything everyone had hoped for, but this ... is an important beginning."

A long road lies ahead. The accord -- weaker than a legally binding treaty and weaker even than the 'political' deal many had foreseen -- left much to the imagination.

It set a target of limiting global warming to a maximum 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times -- seen as a threshold for dangerous changes such as more floods, droughts, mudslides, sandstorms and rising seas. But it failed to say how this would be achieved.

It held out the prospect of $100 billion in annual aid from 2020 for developing nations but did not specify precisely where this money would come from. And it pushed decisions on core issues such as emissions cuts into the future.

"This basically is a letter of intent ... the ingredients of an architecture that can respond to the long-term challenge of climate change, but not in precise legal terms. That means we have a lot of work to do on the long road to Mexico," said Yvo de Boer, head of the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat.

Another round of climate talks is scheduled for November 2010 in Mexico. Negotiators are hoping to nail down then what they failed to achieve in Copenhagen -- a new treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol. But there are no guarantees.

NON-BINDING ACCORD

A plenary session of the marathon 193-nation talks in the Danish capital merely "took note" of the new accord, a non-binding deal for combating global warming finalized by U.S. President Barack Obama, China, India, Brazil and South Africa.

Work on the pact had begun in a meeting of 28 leaders, ministers and officials, including EU countries and small island nations most vulnerable to climate change.

The European Union, which has set itself ambitious emissions cuts targets and encouraged others to follow suit, only reluctantly accepted the weak deal that finally emerged.

"The decision has been very difficult for me. We have done one step, we have hoped for several more," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In the final hours of the talks, which began on December 7 and ended early on Saturday afternoon, delegates agreed to set a deadline to conclude a U.N. treaty by the end of 2010.

At stake was a deal to fight global warming and promote a cleaner world economy less dependent on fossil fuels.

The accord explicitly recognized a "scientific view" that the world should limit warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius -- although the promised emissions cuts were far short of the amount needed to reach that goal.

"We have a big job ahead to avoid climate change through effective emissions reduction targets, and this was not done here," said Brazil's climate change ambassador, Sergio Serra.

A final breakthrough came after U.S. President Barack Obama brokered a final deal with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders of India, South Africa and Brazil that they stand behind their commitments to curb growth in greenhouse gases.

Obama said the "extremely difficult and complex" talks laid the foundation for international action in the years to come.

"For the first time in history, all of the world's major economies have come together to accept their responsibility to take action on the threat of climate change," Obama said at the White House on Saturday after returning from Copenhagen.

The outcome underscored shortcomings in the chaotic U.N. process and may pass the initiative in forming world climate policy to the United States and China, the world's top two emitters of greenhouse gases.

STORMY

In a stormy overnight session, the talks came to the brink of collapse after Sudan, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia lined up to denounce the U.S. and China-led plan, after heads of state and government had flown home.

Sources close to the talks told Reuters the Danish hosts and U.N. lawyers had not obtained formal backing from the conference for a smaller group of leaders and ministers to agree a final text, leading to chaos when this was finally presented to a plenary meeting of all 193 countries.

U.N. talks are meant to be concluded by unanimity. Under a compromise to avoid collapse, the deal listed the countries that were in favor of the deal and those against.

An all-night plenary session, chaired by Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, hit a low point when a Sudanese delegate said the plan in Africa would be like the Holocaust.

The document "is a solution based on the same very values, in our opinion, that channeled six million people in Europe into furnaces," said Sudan's Lumumba Stanislaus Di-aping.

"The reference to the Holocaust is, in this context, absolutely despicable," said Anders Turesson, chief negotiator of Sweden.

The conference finally merely "took note" of the new accord.

This gives it the same legal status as if it had been accepted, senior United Nations official Robert Orr said. But it is far from a full endorsement, and it was also condemned by many environmental groups as showing a failure of leadership.

(With reporting by Gerard Wynn, Anna Ringstrom, John Acher, Anna Ringstrom, Richard Cowan, David Fogarty, Pete Harrison, Emma Graham-Harrison and Alister Bull in Washington; Writing by Gerard Wynn and Alister Doyle; editing by Dominic Evans and Janet McBride)

For Copenhagen Accord, http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/cop15/eng/l07.pdf

COP15 – day 12 roundup

The last day of the UN climate conference in Copenhagen ended with a group of countries including the US and China agreeing a deal which the EU early Saturday described as "not perfect" but "better than no deal."

Michael von Bülow 19/12/2009 02:10

EU: "The only deal available in Copenhagen"

While the head of China’s climate delegation thought “everyone should be happy”, it was uncertain late Friday night whether the “Copenhagen Accord” agreed by the US, China, Brazil, South Africa and India would win broader support among countries.

Marianne Bom 19/12/2009 01:15

After a ”Copenhagen Accord” was agreed by the US, China, South Africa, Brazil and India in Copenhagen, it was still unclear by Friday midnight which other countries were willing to support and sign it.

US President Barack Obama said the deal would be a foundation for global action but there was "much further to go". The head of China’s climate delegation Xie Zhenhua thought “everyone should be happy”, according to Reuters.

An EU spokesperson told BBC News: “What could be agreed today, falls far below our expectations but it keeps our goals and ambitions alive…It was the only deal available in Copenhagen.”

Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Climate Change Secretariat, said it was still to be seen how the text would be received by the broader group of countries.

“It's great that a small group of leaders gets together and tries to advance the process. But ultimately the way things work here it has to be acceptable to every country," Yvo de Boer said and continued according to Reuters:

"If this makes it through the meeting in a couple of hours' time then I see it as a modest success. We could have achieved more."

Brazil’s Climate Change Ambassador Sergio Serra called the accord “very disappointing” but not “a failure”.

Greenpeace criticized the accord for not having “targets for carbon cuts and no agreement on a legally binding treaty”. Oxfam International called the deal “a triumph of spin over substance. It recognizes the need to keep warming below two degrees but does not commit to do so. It kicks back the decisions on emissions cuts and fudges the issue of climate cash.”

The so-called Copenhagen Accord confirms the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It sets a maximum of two degrees Celsius average global temperature rise, and states that a review by 2016 should consider if it will be necessary to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

On financing, the Copenhagen Accord says developed countries commit collectively to providing 30 billion US dollars in new, additional funding for developing countries for the 2010-2012 period. It also says developed countries support “a goal of mobilizing jointly 100 billion dollars a year” by 2020 from a variety of sources.

Developed countries commit to at least 80 percent emissions reductions by 2050 in the accord. Commitments on shorter terms have to be settled later.

Supported national mitigation actions will be subject to international measurement, reporting and verification, the accord states. Mitigations actions taken by developed countries will be monitored nationally and reported every second year by guidelines adopted later by the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa reach deal

According to a senior Obama administration official the United States, China, Brazil, India and South Africa have reached a "meaningful agreement" on climate change Friday evening.

Associated Press 18/12/2009 22:25

A senior Obama administration official says the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa have reached a "meaningful agreement" on climate change.

The official characterized the deal as a first step, but said it was not enough to combat the threat of a warming planet.

Details of the deal with these emerging economies were not immediately clear.

The agreement was reached Friday at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen after a meeting among President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and South African President Jacob Zuma.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been officially announced.

New draft for Copenhagen deal

In a newly written draft named the “Copenhagen Accord” a 2010-deadline for reaching a legally binding climate treaty has been dropped, Reuters reported Friday afternoon.

Marianne Bom 18/12/2009 17:45

A new draft for a global climate deal in Copenhagen has leaked to the press. The draft has been named the “Copenhagen Accord”, Reuters reports.

Earlier it was reported by the media, that the heads of state and government could not agree on what to call the text negotiated.

In the new draft a reference to an end-2010 deadline for reaching a legally binding treaty was removed, compared to a previous draft, Reuters reports.

The draft did still include a limit of a maximum two degree Celsius global average temperature rise.

According to Danish media, a probable scenario at the end of Friday afternoon is that the world leaders continue negotiations until the early evening.

Chávez felt excluded

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez criticized the UN climate conference for “a real lack of transparency”, speaking on behalf of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas.

Marianne Bom 18/12/2009 15:20

President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela took the floor at the plenary, Friday afternoon, and accused US President Barack Obama of behaving like an emperor “who comes in during the middle of the night … and cooks up a document that we will not accept, we will never accept”.

Chávez underlined that “all countries are equal”. He stressed that he would not accept that some countries prepared a text for a climate deal and just “slipped [it] under the door” to be signed by the others. He said he had heard of the existence of such a text, but “we don’t know the paper” and then continued by accusing the conference of “a real lack of transparency”.

Hugo Chávez suggested he would leave the UN climate conference in protest of the way it developed.

“We can’t wait any longer, we are leaving … We are leaving, knowing that it wasn’t possible getting a deal,” he said.

The Venezuelan President spoke on behalf of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, an alliance of among others Ecuador, Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia.

EU challenges US and China

The European Union makes clear it is ready to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels - if the US and China "do their part".

Morten Andersen 18/12/2009 15:00

The European Union will raise its emission reduction target from the 20 percent previously announced by 2020 to 30 percent "in a global ambitious agreement".

This was announced by Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden that holds the rotating EU presidency, as he addressed the plennary of the UN conference in Copenhagen on Friday afternoon.

"We use the conditional 30 percent reduction as a lever to bring others with us to raised ambitions. We will keep that pressure!" Fredrik Reinfeldt said.

More specifically he challenged the United States and China:

"Together you are responsible for half of the global greenhouse gas emissions. You have different responsibilities and capabilities. From the United States we expect, as from developed countries, a legally binding economy-wide commitment to reduce emissions. From China we expect binding actions. Your ability to reduce emissions will be absolutely critical. It is promising that you have come forward with your contributions in an international context. However, the world needs more and we are confident that you have the ability to deliver more."

The present ambitions of the US and China will not be enough to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius, Fredrik Reinfeldt made clear:

"Therefore I turn to you, as a friend and a committed partner, and I say: United States and China: unleash your full potential and thereby the world's efforts - make it possible for the world to stay below two degrees!"

Obama: I came here to act

"Our ability to take collective action is in doubt," US President Barack Obama warned the plenary at COP15.

Rie Jerichow 18/12/2009 14:25

As the fifth speaker, President Barack Obama took the floor in the plenary. He stressed that he did not come to talk, but to act.

Being the world largest economy and second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, America has a responsibility, he said, and added that America would continue to move toward a green economy – "but we will be stronger if we act together," he said.

He told the heads of state and governments that it is imperative with a "mechanism to review whether we are keeping our commitments, and to exchange this information in a transparent manner." Without such accountability, any agreement would be "empty words on a page".

"Mitigation. Transparency. And financing. It is a clear formula - one that embraces the principle of common but differentiated responses and respective capabilities. And it adds up to a significant accord – one that takes us further than we have ever gone before as an international community", Obama said in his address.

Finally he urged world leaders to "choose action over inaction; the future over the past - with courage and faith, let us meet our responsibility to our people and to the future of our planet".

Brazil ready to provide funding

As the first developing country, Brazil offers to contribute to the finance mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol – if an agreement is reached in Copenhagen Friday, says President Lula.

Morten Andersen 18/12/2009 14:05

In what he admitted might come as a surprise to his own countrymen, Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva (photo above) opened a door for his country to contribute economically to climate change measures in other, more needing countries.

"I have not said this at home, and not even to my team here in Copenhagen, but if it is necessary for Brazil to tap money to other countries, we will be willing to participate in the (UN) finance mechanisms – IF we reach a global agreement here in Copenhagen today," Lula said as he addressed the plenary of the UN conference shortly after noon Friday local time.

Also on the subject of funding, the President said he understood demands Thursday by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for transparency on the part of developing countries:

"Those countries that provide funds have the right to demand transparency."

Still, Lula underlined that the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of emerging economy emissions" should respect the sovereignty of each country" and that action on climate change should not hamper economic growth in the developing world:

"For a lot of people in Brazil, in Africa, in India, China and other developing countries three meals a day is still something of the future."

President Lula also said that he did not favor agreeing on a statement "only to be able to say we agreed on something." Instead "we should together, rich and poor countries, establish a common ground for an agreement, so we can leave Copenhagen proud."

World leaders in last-minute climate talks

The UN climate talks were in serious disarray Friday, prompting President Barack Obama to upend his schedule and hold close-door talks with 19 other world leaders to work out a last-minute agreement on fighting global warming.

Associated Press 18/12/2009 12:25

Delegates earlier blamed both the US and China for the lack of a political agreement that Obama, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and more than 110 other world leaders are supposed to sign within hours.

But French President Nicolas Sarkozy, speaking after the unscheduled meeting with Obama and the other leaders, said progress in the climate talks was being held back by China.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the US president met with world leaders from China and Russia, both seen as key participants in the climate talks, as well as the heads of state from wealthy nations like Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and those from developing countries like Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Colombia.

"Most of the leaders are still working out to produce a meaningful agreement to be adopted," Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kazuo Kodama said.

The lack of a deal caused leaders to throw out the planned timetable for the final day of the two-week UN climate conference, with their informal talks delaying the opening of the regular session.

Broad disputes continued behind closed doors between wealthy nations and developing ones, delegates said — the divide that from the start has dogged the two-week UN climate conference, which aimed to reach agreements on deeper reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases blamed for global warming.

No agreed text had emerged as presidents and premiers were gathering at a Copenhagen convention hall, said Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren.

"It is now up to world leaders to decide," he said, suggesting they would be pressed to make last-minute decisions on the thrust of the climate declaration.

Carlgren, negotiating on behalf of the 27-nation European Union, blamed the morning's impasse on the Chinese for "blocking again and again," and on the U.S. for coming too late with an improved offer, a long-range climate aid program announced Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

A leading African delegate, meanwhile, complained bitterly about the proposed declaration. "It's weak. There's nothing ambitious in this text," Lumumba Di-Aping of Sudan, a leader of the developing nations bloc, said Friday.

Delegates filtering out of the predawn discussions Friday sounded disappointed.

"It's a political statement, but it isn't a lot," said Chinese delegate Li Junhua.

"It would be a major disappointment. A political declaration would not guarantee our survival," said Selwin Hart, a delegate from Barbados speaking for the Alliance of Small Island States, many of which are threatened by seas rising form global warming.

World leaders handed off the draft text of about three pages at about 3 a.m. local time to their ministers and they continued to work on it through the night. But by 5 a.m., negotiators from Mexico and the G-77 plus China said they were nowhere near agreement on the final document.

China and India signal progress on transparency

The world's two largest emerging economies both respond positively to a call from US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. "We are 75 percent underway with a solution," says Indian minister.

Morten Andersen 18/12/2009 11:10

Both China and India are prepared to give the international community more insight into their national measures to mitigate climate change. As US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, assured Thursday that the US is onboard a solution for financing for the developing world, she also attached conditions to the offer. Particularly that China - the world's biggest emitter - and other large emerging economies would accept independent scrutiny of their commitments to limit emissions over the coming decade.

"If there is not even a commitment to some sort of transparency, then that’s kind of a deal-breaker for us. There has to be a commitment to transparency." Hillary Clinton told a press conference, according to Times Online.

Several media report China ready to let its climate measures be subject to outside verification.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei told reporters at a news conference that his government is open to "dialogue and cooperation that is not intrusive, that does not infringe on China's sovereignty."

Times Online quotes Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh as saying that Hillary Clinton's offer "demonstrates a seriousness on the part of the Americans to recognize that financing is a crucial element of climate change" and that the question of monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of emerging economy emissions is close to a solution.

"I'm sure that we will be able to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution to this MRV, the MRV issue which the Americans are raising in relation to China, India, Brazil and South Africa. We have a 75 percent solution, we just need to find the 25 percent," Jairam Ramesh says.

Hillary Clinton brings positive momentum

After statements by the US Secretary of State on financing, a number of key players have agreed on a draft text that will be discussed on the UN conference's last day.

Morten Andersen 18/12/2009 09:20

Statements Thursday by Hillary Clinton brought new energy to stalled negotiations in Copenhagen. The US Secretary of State assured that the US supports 100 billion US dollars to be provided annually for climate change measures in the developing world by 2020, and that the US is ready to pay its share.

During the night, Ms. Clinton together with heads of state or government from 25 major economies, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon drafted a text to provide the foundation for the discussions on the conference's final day, Friday.

Clinton's announcement on funding was widely praised.

According to AP, Yoshiko Kijima, a senior Japanese negotiator, said it sent "a strong signal by Obama (due to arrive in Copenhagen Friday morning) that he will persuade his own people that we need to show something to developing countries. I really respect that"; Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren said Clinton added "political momentum"; and India's Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh called it "a good step forward."

The draft text also states that the rise in global temperature should be kept below two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.

Source> http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=3064

COP15 – day 11 roundup

After the Danish COP presidency was forced to give up on creating consensus around a draft text for a political climate deal, negotiations broke the deadlock Thursday and continued on a two-track basis.

Michael von Bülow 17/12/2009 23:00

Sarkozy: Failure in Copenhagen would be a catastrophe

European leaders expressed themselves in no uncertain terms when addressing fellow heads of state and governments attending the penultimate day of the UN climate conference in Copenhagen.

Rie Jerichow 17/12/2009 22:05

While climate negotiations continued at full stretch in the Bella Center on how to share the burden of carbon emissions cuts and the cost of global warming, European leaders took turns in delivering their peptalks in the plenary hall.

"There is less than 24 hours. If we carry on like this, it will be a failure," French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned from the conference podium, according to Reuters.

"Time is against us, let's stop posturing.... A failure in Copenhagen would be a catastrophe for each and every one of us," he said in his speech, AFP reports.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown addressed the conference with a plea for countries to "overcome obstacles". He called for a 10-billion-dollar annual fund to help developing nations cope with climate change and hoped for a legally binding agreement within six months.

"We cannot permit the politics of narrow self interest to prevent a policy for human survival. For all of us there is no greater national interest than the common future of this planet," Brown concluded his warning, according to The Guardian.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made an impassioned appeal saying that global warming is a task for all of us:

"We need to show the world works together, as we did in the economic and financial crisis. Please, in this spirit, let us all work over the next 24 hours so that tomorrow we will be able to meet again in this hall and show that we have understood, life cannot go on as it was. The world needs to change. Let us all work together fruitfully in these 24 hours," Angela Merkel said, according to Euronews.net.

Kyoto proponents win first round

After the climate conference agreed on the procedure for further negotiations, the Danish hosts re-launched UN climate talks on Thursday. A British newspaper calls it a "victory for the developing world."

Rie Jerichow 17/12/2009 17:50

The Copenhagen negotiations broke the deadlock on Thursday and are now moving forward on a two-track basis that maintains the integrity of the Kyoto protocol.

A"victory for the developing world", writes British daily The Guardian, concluding that rich nations have "abandoned an attempt to kill off the Kyoto protocol in a last-gasp effort to salvage a deal at the climate change summit in Copenhagen".

Several countries – including China – have expressed ambitions to resuscitate the talks despite huge differences over levels of emissions cuts, financing and monitoring, the newspaper reports.

"We are not giving up. The irony is that on substance we have had considerable movement in the last few days. For the talks to be in this state simply over matters of procedure rather than substance is immensely disappointing," a UK official says, according to The Guardian.

"We have lost a day and a half. I don't want to point fingers. We must get talks back on a solid substantive track by the time the world leaders meet tomorrow," the Indian environment minister Jairam Ramesh said.

Algerian envoy Kamel Djemouai, who speaks for 53 African nations, is not so enthusiastic:

"No deal is better than to have a bad deal, particularly for Africa.... To get to a bad deal with our heads of state here is quite difficult for anybody to accept here," the envoy says, according to Bloomberg.

Uphill struggle for ambitious deal

The Danish Presidency has given up on its ambition to create consensus on a text that would form the basis of a global political deal to combat global warming, reports a Danish daily.

Marianne Bom 17/12/2009 11:15

Bridging the gap between developed and developing countries was not possible during consultations held by the Danish Presidency of the UN climate conference, on Wednesday.

According to the Danish daily Berlingske Tidende, the Presidency on Wednesday night abandoned attempts to create consensus on a text that should have formed the basis of a global political agreement to combat climate change.

119 heads of state and government meet on Thursday and Friday in Copenhagen to negotiate global initiatives to combat global warming. The Presidency had hoped to present the world leaders with a text containing as few as possible open questions on issues such as emission cuts, financing of climate aid to developing countries, accounting for emissions etc.

According to Berlingske Tidende, the developing countries represented by the Group of 77 blocked the initiative.

Now, the strategy is to try to make progress in some isolated areas, preparing the ground for the next UN climate negotiations which will take place in Mexico next year, Berlingske Tidende reports.

According to the Guardian, on Wednesday evening frustrated negotiators spoke openly for the first time of – at best – reaching a weak political agreement that would leave no clear way forward to tackle rising greenhouse gas emissions.

“That would mean the negotiations staying in limbo well into next year, increasing the damage caused by global warming,” the Guardian reported.

China willing to detail emission effort

According to Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei China is ready for "dialogue and cooperation that is not intrusive, that does not infringe on China's sovereignty".

Associated Press 17/12/2009 17:20

China says it is willing to provide details about its actions to control carbon emissions, moving to meet a key US demand for verification of China's promises to fight global warming.

Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei said China is ready for "dialogue and cooperation that is not intrusive, that does not infringe on China's sovereignty."

His remarks Thursday came after US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the US would join others in raising 100 billion US dollars a year to help developing countries fight climate change.

The financing of climate aid for poor nations and the verification of China's voluntary actions to reduce the growth of its emissions address two key issues blocking an agreement at the Copenhagen summit.

The US insists on transparency

In partnership with other countries, the US will try to mobilise 100 billion dollars a year for climate aid by 2020, according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The US insists that funding will only be granted if developing countries allow for full transparency of their emissions.

Marianne Bom 17/12/2009 16:55

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Copenhagen on Thursday just as climate negotiations had “reached a critical junction” and talks were “difficult”, as she said at a press briefing.

Hillary Clinton confirmed that the US wants strong action to combat climate change. She hoped that negotiations would take important steps forward within few hours, as “we all face the same challenge together”.

The Secretary of State confirmed that the US will pay its share of the short term financing of adaptation and mitigation in developing countries during the next three years. The US is also “prepared to work together with other countries” to raise 100 billion US dollars annually by 2020.

“In the context of a strong accord, in which all major economies stand behind meaningful mitigation actions and provide full transparency as to their implementation, the United States is prepared to work with other countries toward a goal of jointly mobilising 100 billion dollars a year by 2020 to address the climate change needs of developing countries," she said.

Hillary Clinton stressed that the US wanted the funding to benefit the poorest and most vulnerable countries, and insisted that developing countries allow measurement, reporting and verification of emissions curbs as part of a deal.

Larger developing countries have – according to various media reports – so far rejected this proposal.

"It would be hard to imagine, speaking for the United States, that there could be the legal or financial commitment that I've just announced in the absence of transparency from the second biggest emitter, and now I guess the first biggest," she said with a hint to China, Reuters reported.

"There has to be a willingness to move toward transparency in whatever forum we finally determine is appropriate. So if there is not even a commitment to pursue transparency, that's kind of a dealbreak for us," she said.

China signals hope for deal

China was reported to signal an operational accord out of reach. Now China's climate change ambassador says China has not given up hope for a deal.

Marianne Bom (article updated) 17/12/2009 14:10

China no longer sees a possibility of achieving an operational accord to tackle global warming this week at the UN climate conference, Reuters reported early Thursday morning, quoting an unnamed official involved in the talks.

The official said that China instead suggested issuing "a short political declaration of some sort."

Later Thursday, China's Climate Change Ambassador Yu Qingtai (photo above) rejected the signals as malicious rumors.

"I do not know where this rumor came from but I can assure you that the Chinese delegation came to Copenhagen with hope and have not given it up," Yu Qingtai told Reuters.

"Copenhagen is too important to fail," he said.

Beijing wants a deal that capture all progress achieved over two years of UN-led negotiations and leave room for swift progress on unresolved areas next year, according to Yu Qingtai.

The Danish Presidency tried all afternoon and evening on Wednesday to create consensus on a text on the basis of which the heads of state and government were supposed to continue their talks. On Thursday the text was given up after pressure from developing countries - according to the media - and negotiations continued without it.

119 heads of state and government will be present at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen.

COP15 agree on procedure

The UN climate conference on Thursday agreed on the procedure for further negotiations.

Marianne Bom 17/12/2009 14:00

At Thursday noon, the delegates at the UN climate conference decided to continue the climate talks in two tracks, one on the Kyoto Protocol, another on the Climate Change Convention.

The decision came after the Danish Presidency of the conference had consultations on procedure with the delegates, starting Wednesday afternoon.

The developing countries, represented by Group of 77, have in particular expressed fears that the developed countries would “kill the Kyoto Protocol” in Copenhagen. The G-77 backed the new proposal on procedure.

The conference also agreed to establish a contact group between the two negotiation tracks, headed by the Danish Minister Connie Hedegaard.

Negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol began on Wednesday afternoon.

The Danish Prime Minister and President of the conference, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, asked the groups to work on a short deadline.

Obama won't break new ground at summit

A warning to delegates in Copenhagen: If you're looking for President Barack Obama to cave to pressure and deepen US efforts to curb greenhouse gases, don't bet on it.

AP/Nanet Poulsen 17/12/2009 09:05

A warning to delegates in Copenhagen: If you're looking for President Barack Obama to cave to pressure and deepen US efforts to curb greenhouse gases, don't bet on it.

Obama, like most world leaders, is constrained by tough politics at home. And that makes it tougher for the summit to produce meaningful pollution cuts.

US officials stressed Wednesday that when Obama travels to the climate conference in Denmark this week he won't bring anything to the talks beyond Washington's already stated goals: to commit to reducing greenhouse gases by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 and to pay a "fair share" into a 10 billion US dollars fund to help developing countries deal with climate change.

Developing countries have called on the United States and Europe to make much deeper cuts in the short term — by at least 34 percent from 2005 emission levels by 2020. Those are reductions far beyond what members of Congress — even those supporting climate legislation — say they will accept.

"We don't want to promise something we don't have," Todd Stern, chief of the US delegation to the climate conference, told reporters this week in Copenhagen. He said he did not anticipate any change in the US commitment.

Said Democratic Rep. Edward Markey, a co-author of a climate bill already passed by the House of Representatives: The president "is not going to go further. ... The words he is going to use are the same words he has been using for the last two weeks."

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, too, kept a tight hold on expectations for the summit. Noting that there are remaining disagreements among delegates, he said the president "is hopeful that his presence can help" produce "a strong operational agreement, even as we work toward something even stronger in the future."

In Copenhagen, Stern, the U.S. delegation head, declared: "Our commitment is tied to our anticipated legislation. We don't want to promise something we don't have."

At the same time, administration officials said — and are arguing in meetings in Copenhagen — that the U.S. is doing more to reduce the climate change threat than getting legislation passed by Congress.

In recent days, the White House has choreographed a series of announcements and events in Washington designed to highlight those efforts — from tax breaks for renewable energy manufacturers to the president visiting a home remodeling store to declare it is "sexy" to better insulate your home.

The White House distributed a memo noting that the economic recovery program contains 80 billion dollars to help promote clean energy development including money for renewable energy projects, nuclear power plants, more fuel efficient motor vehicles and commercial development of carbon capture technologies to be used at coal burning power plants.

It was a message designed for both Copenhagen and domestic consumption.

Emissions pledges do not match needs

Emissions cuts offered so far at the Copenhagen summit will lead to global temperatures rising by an average of three degrees, a confidential UN analysis obtained by The Guardian reveals.

Rie Jerichow 17/12/2009 20:50

A confidential UN draft marked "do not distribute" and "initial draft" shows a gap of up to 4.2 gigatonnes of carbon emissions between the present pledges and the required level of 44 gigatonnes that is required to stay below a two degree temperature rise, The Guardian reports.

According to the "Stern Review" by economist Nicholas Stern for the British government, a warming of three or four degrees Celsius will result in tens to hundreds of millions more people being flooded each year due to rising sea levels. "There will be serious risks and increasing pressures for coastal protection in Southeast Asia (Bangladesh and Vietnam), small islands in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and large coastal cities, such as Tokyo, New York, Cairo and London," the report shows.

Greenpeace describes the confidential document as "explosive" and showing that the numbers on the table at the moment would lead to nothing less than "climate breakdown" and an "extraordinarily dangerous situation for humanity".

"The UN is admitting in private that the pledges made by world leaders would lead to a three degree rise in temperatures. The science shows that it could lead to the collapse of the Amazon rainforest, crippling water shortages across South America and Australia and the near-extinction of tropical coral reefs, and that's just the start of it," Greenpeace campaigner Joss Garman tells the newspaper.

Source> http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=3044

COP15 – day 10 roundup

A compromise proposal to be presented by the Danish presidency Wednesday was held up as the negotiating process, according to UN climate chief Yvo de Boer, was subject to an “unexpected stop”.

Michael von Bülow 16/12/2009 23:55

De Boer: “Unexpected stop” in negotiations

“A number of unsolved issues” are left for world leaders to resolve during the next two days, said the UNFCCC Executive Secretary, after observers of the UN climate conference had spent Wednesday afternoon waiting for breaking news on the climate talks.

Marianne Bom 16/12/2009 20:10

The negotiating process at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen was subject to an “unexpected stop” on Wednesday, according to Yvo de Boer, the UN's top climate official.

“The cable car has made an unexpected stop,” he said at a press briefing Wednesday evening, referring to a statement he made on Monday. By then the conference was about half way up the mountain, everybody was queuing up for the cable car, and “the rest of the ride is going to be fast, smooth and relaxing”.

The unexpected stop happened – according to several news media – as delegates needed time to discuss the basis of the further talks.

It was expected all Wednesday that the Danish conference presidency would present a text designed to establish consensus. However, on Wednesday evening Yvo de Boer said he did not know if the Danish text had actually been tabled.

“I don’t know if the Danish text is out,” he said, mentioning that to judge from what had been said in the plenary session more than one text was going to form the basis of negotiations.

The Danish Prime Minister and President of the conference, Lars Løkke Rasmussen was on Wednesday consulting all groups of countries on the process, de Boer said. He expected the cable car “to continue within a few hours”.

“It is still possible to reach a real success,” Yvo de Boer said, but there are “a number of unsolved issues” left for world leaders to resolve at their summit on Thursday and Friday.

“The next 24 hours are absolutely crucial,” Yvo de Boer said.

New compromise proposal said to be on its way

Danish PM takes over the COP15 presidency, he will present a compromise on Wednesday afternoon, a Danish newspaper reports.

Rie Jerichow 16/12/2009 13:50

Wednesday afternoon, the Danish Presidency will present a compromise proposal at the climate negotiations in Copenhagen. The proposal seeks to build bridges between the many interests at the summit, Danish daily Berlingske Tidende reports.

The proposal, keeping elements of the Kyoto Protocol structure, is said to form the basis for further negotiations which are now entering into a crucial final phase.

119 heads of state and governments are heading towards Denmark to decide on a future climate agreement. As a consequence of the unprecedented number of world leaders, Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has officially taken over the presidency of the UN Climate Change Conference COP15 from Connie Hedegaard, who has been appointed special representative. Thus, she will continue conducting informal consultations to the Copenhagen Outcome.

"With so many Heads of State and Governments arriving to give their statements, it is appropriate that the Danish Prime Minister presides. Negotiations and consultations will be conducted on all levels. Who would have believed that in Bali two years ago? Leaders work, ministers work, and negotiators work to reach a global agreement. Let’s get it done," Connie Hedegaard says in a press release.

Climate talks deadlocked as clashes erupt outside

Danish police fired pepper spray outside the UN climate conference on Wednesday, as disputes inside left major issues unresolved just two days before world leaders hope to sign a historic agreement to fight global warming.

AP 16/12/2009 13:45

Hundreds of protesters were trying to disrupt the 193-nation conference, the latest action in days of demonstrations to demand "climate justice" — firm action to combat global warming. Police said 230 protesters were detained.

Inside the cavernous Bella Center convention hall, negotiators dealing with core issues debated until just before dawn without setting new goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions or for financing poorer countries' efforts to cope with coming climate change, key elements of any deal.

"I regret to report we have been unable to reach agreement," John Ashe of Antigua, chairman of one negotiating group, reported to the full 193-nation conference later Wednesday morning.

In those overnight talks, the American delegation apparently objected to a proposed text it felt might bind the United States prematurely to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, before the US Congress acts on the required legislation. US envoys insisted, for example, on replacing the word "shall" with the conditional "should."

Hundreds of protesters marched on the suburban Bella Center, where lines of Danish riot police waited in protective cordons. Some demonstrators said they wanted to take over the global conference and turn it into a "people's assembly," and as they approached police lines they were hit with pepper spray.

After nine days of largely unproductive talks, the lower-level delegates were wrapping up the first phase of the two-week conference and handing off the disputes to environment ministers in a critical second phase.

The lack of progress disheartened many, including small island states threatened by the rising seas of global warming.

"We are extremely disappointed," Ian Fry of the tiny Pacific nation of Tuvalu declared on the conference floor. "I have the feeling of dread we are on the Titanic and sinking fast. It's time to launch the lifeboats."

Others were far from abandoning ship. "Obviously there are things we are concerned about, but that is what we have to discuss," Sergio Barbosa Serra, Brazil's climate ambassador, told The Associated Press. "I would like to think we can get a deal, a good and fair deal."

Africa shows a willingness to negotiate

African Union climate negotiator Meles Zenawi has scaled back the demands for climate finance from rich countries, signaling thaw under way in the deadlocked UN negotiations.

Rie Jerichow 16/12/2009 16:20

Earlier this week, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with Ethiopia's Prime Minister and African Union climate negotiator Meles Zenawi. On Wednesday Brown said that Zenawi would soon come up with a proposal that could be an important step forward. So he did.

Meles Zenawi has announced that he supports 100 billion US dollars annual funds by 2020 from rich countries to help the poor world fight and adapt to climate changes. The EU has estimated that the developing countries will need 150 billion dollars.

"On long-term financing, I propose funding for adaptation and mitigation (emissions curbs) should start by 2013, to reach up to 50 billion dollars per annum by 2015 and 100 billion dollars per annum by 2020," he said on behalf of the African group, according to Reuters.

"No less than 50 percent should be allocated to adaptation to vulnerable and poor countries and regions such as African and small islands states," Meles Zenawi added.

Meles Zenawi hinted that Africa would not insist on public money. In his proposal, funding would be financed by creative financing mechanisms including carbon taxes and sales of emissions rights, Reuters reports.

"I know my proposal today will disappoint some Africans. My proposal scales back our expectation with respect to the level of funding in return for more reliable funding," the African Union climate negotiator said.

Countries pledge billions to protect rainforests

The US, Australia, France, Japan, Norway and Britain will make 3.5 billion US dollars available for developing countries that produce ambitious plans to slow and eventually reverse deforestation.

AP/Michael von Bülow 16/12/2009 20:15

US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the United States and five other countries have pledged 3.5 billion US dollars over the next three years to a program aimed at protecting rainforests.

The other countries are Australia, France, Japan, Norway and Britain. The US portion is one billion dollars.

Vilsack says the money will be available for developing countries that produce ambitious plans to slow and eventually reverse deforestation.

The American plan was announced Wednesday at UN climate talks in Copenhagen, where 193 nations are trying to negotiate a new climate pact. Reversing deforestation is an important part of the talks because deforestation is estimated to account for about 20 percent of global greenhouse emissions.

Japan: 15 billion dollars in climate aid

Japanese pledge outbids the EU's funding for short-term climate aid in developing countries.

Marianne Bom 16/12/2009 22:40

Japan pledges a total of 15 billion US dollars for climate aid for developing countries up to 2012, Japan's delegation announced at the UN climate conference late Wednesday. Of the 15 billion dollars, 11 billion dollars will be public money, according to a press release from the delegation.

The Japanese pledge is more generous than EU’s promise to fund 7.2 billion euro (9.39 billion dollars) for the same purposes over the next three years.

The Japanese funding is given on the condition that a successful political accord is achieved at the climate conference in Copenhagen.

“Upon the establishment of a new framework, Japan will with this assistance support a broad range of developing countries which are taking measures of mitigation, as well as those which are vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change,” the press release states.

Kerry: US to pass "major" climate legislation

A successful deal in Copenhagen will lead the way for climate legislation in the US Congress, says Senator John Kerry.

Marianne Bom 16/12/2009 21:50

The Chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, John Kerry, on Wednesday promised that the US Congress will pass a climate change bill in 2010 if the UN climate conference becomes a success.

"With a successful deal here in Copenhagen, next year, the US Congress - House and Senate - will pass legislation," Kerry said at a meeting in Copenhagen, quoted by the Guardian. "I will tell you right now, 100 percent, we are going to pass major climate and energy legislation that is going to have an impact on emissions."

John Kerry mentioned one key requirement that the talks had to meet in order to get US backing: China and other developing countries should meet the US demand for accountability on their emission cuts. This demand has so far been rejected by some larger developing countries.

"In the Senate and in America, the concerns that kept us out of Kyoto back in 1997 are still with us today, and we need to preempt them here in Copenhagen," Kerry said and continued:

"I don't offer these insights to defend inaction. I simply want to describe for you the reality of what it will take to get this done. Some of my colleagues in Washington - like some leaders elsewhere - remain reluctant to grapple with a climate crisis mostly measured in future dangers, when they're confronted every day with the present pain of hardworking people in a tough economic time,” he was quoted as saying by CQ Politics.

“To pass a bill, we must be able to assure a senator from Ohio that steel workers in his state won't lose their jobs to India and China because those countries are not participating in a way that is measurable, reportable and verifiable," he said.

India: Kyoto in intensive care if not dead

Whether the expiring Kyoto Protocol, which sets targets for greenhouse gas emissions from rich countries only, should be continued, expanded or replaced with an alternative agreement still splits the parties.

Rie Jerichow 16/12/2009 13:10

Global negotiations to extend the Kyoto Protocol have stalled, since developing countries want rich nations to be held to their Kyoto obligations and sign up to a second round of tougher commitments from 2013, Reuters reports.

According to Reuters, India's environment minister Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday that developed countries were "vehemently opposing" the protocol and some of them wanted a single new accord obliging all nations to fight global warming.

"The sense we get is that Kyoto is in intensive care if not dead," Ramesh told reporters, according to Reuters.

British PM warns of failure but brings hope

According to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the first sign of progress in the negotiations could be seen Wednesday with new proposals for climate change from African Union climate negotiator Meles Zenawi.

Rie Jerichow 16/12/2009 09:25

As the first world leader, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (photo above) arrived Tuesday in Copenhagen two days ahead of schedule, in order to help broker discussions on who should pay to tackle global warming.

A failure at the summit would have serious consequences. If temperatures rise too far, the world economy would suffer an unprecedented "catastrophe", he said, according to British daily The Telegraph.

"If we do not act to tackle climate change, the costs to our standard of living will be huge - a reduction in our national income of up to 20 percent, an economic catastrophe equivalent in this century to the impact of two world wars and the great depression in the last," he said, according to the newspaper.

However, the first sign of progress could come on Wednesday with Ethiopia's prime minister and African Union climate negotiator, Meles Zenawi, expected to announce new proposals for climate change, The Guardian reports.

Meles met Brown in London on Tuesday. According to The Guardian, Brown said that Meles's proposals were an important step forward and his ideas were a "framework within which developed and developing countries can work together".

Source: http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=3014

COP15 – day 9 roundup

The UN climate conference in Copenhagen entered its decisive phase on Tuesday, as heads of state and government began to arrive for the final three days of negotiations. The leaders will be facing “a defining moment in history”, said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Michael von Bülow 15/12/2009 23:25

As heads of states and governments were beginning to arrive at Copenhagen, a ceremony Tuesday marked the formal opening of the final high-level stage of the ongoing UN conference on climate change, COP15.

“We know what we must do. We know what the world expects. Our job here and now is to seal the deal, a deal in our common interest,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said according to AFP, while adding that the world’s leaders face “a defining moment in history”.

The Secretary-General also said that “three years of effort have come down to three days of action. Let us not falter in the home stretch. No one will get everything they want in this negotiation”.

According to Reuters, Ban Ki-moon labeled the negotiations lying ahead over the next three days as “the most complex and ambitious ever to be undertaken by the world community”.

In her address the conference president, Danish minister Connie Hedegaard, said “In these very hours we are balancing between success and failure. Success is within reach. But (…) I must also warn you: We can fail.”

South Korea to bridge rich and poor nations

As the first emerging economy to take on absolute reduction commitments, South Korea hopes to play a key role in Copenhagen where on Thursday President Lee Myung-bak will also offer to host the 2012 UN conference on climate change.

Morten Andersen 15/12/2009 18:45

As requested by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean foreign minister, South Korea is ready to play a key role in Copenhagen. Also the Asian country is offering to host the COP18 – the UN conference on climate change to be held in 2012.

“I’m ready to tackle global issues such as climate change not by words, but by actions,” President Lee Myung-bak replied to the UN Secretary-General’s request, according to the Korea Times.

South Korea recently announced that it will cut its greenhouse gas emissions by four percent by 2020 compared to 2005 levels. This makes the country the first emerging economy to take on an absolute reduction commitment and not only a relative commitment compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

“I hope our green growth vision will become a beacon for other countries in participating in the global fight against climate change,” President Lee Myung-bak says according to the Korea Times.

The President is to speak at the Copenhagen summit on Thursday. The speech will also announce South Korea's offer to host the COP18. COP16 and COP17 are to be held in Mexico and South Africa, respectively

China: Poor countries are first in line for funding

So far the majority of internationally funded projects under the Kyoto Protocol have been in China. But other countries need the funds more urgently according to Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei.

Morten Andersen 15/12/2009 17:45

China will no longer take the lion’s share of international funding for carbon mitigation projects under the UN-backed Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). This is according to an interview given by Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei to the Financial Times earlier this week. The statements were first interpreted as if China would refrain totally from any financing under the scheme, but that view has now been corrected.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu tells My Sinchew that the minister “had said China was focussed on the special concerns of the least developed countries, African countries and the small island countries” and that Beijing was “willing to give priority to these countries in using the capital assistance given by developed countries”.

Still, this does not mean that China will abandon international funding, Jiang Yu clarifies:

“China, relying on its own resources, has taken a lot of measures and made great achievements. If we could get enough international support, I believe that China could do an even better job in protecting the global environment as well as fighting climate change.”

Merkel concerned over Copenhagen pace

German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced concern Tuesday about the pace of climate negotiations in Copenhagen and said she is "somewhat nervous" about prospects of success.

AP/Michael von Bülow 15/12/2009 17:25

The crucial conference in the Danish capital, which is due to end Friday, has been marked by deep divisions between rich and poor nations. It is supposed to deliver a deal to curb emissions of the gases that cause global warming.

"These kinds of big conferences with many, many interests frequently get stuck, but it's Tuesday already and we want to be done on Friday," Merkel said after meeting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

All involved should make a "constructive contribution so that Copenhagen can be a success," Merkel said. However, she added: "I don't want to hide the fact I am somewhat nervous as to whether we will manage all that."

Yudhoyono said climate talks in Bali two years ago had shown that deadlocks can be broken. "We just need good will and openness on the part of all involved," he said.

The hoped-for deal in Copenhagen is supposed to pave the way for a final treaty to be negotiated over the next six to 12 months.

"We need international monitoring of the results of Copenhagen ... otherwise every country can promise something (and) that's not enough," Merkel said.

"We need an international mechanism that monitors things" under the auspices of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, she added

Forest negotiations are making headway

There is mounting agreement on rewarding tropical countries which slow deforestation under a new deal. This is the first issue where significant progress has been made in Copenhagen.

Rie Jerichow 15/12/2009 16:00

Negotiators in Copenhagen have made progress on two key issues for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation – also known as REDD – a forest policy group reports, according to mongabay.com.

"We needed two critical pieces of text to catapult into a world where developing nations could see real value for saving tropical forests," says John O. Niles, Director of the Tropical Forest Group.

"Forests and forest peoples worldwide need "early action" language to fast track financing to save forests immediately. And the agreement needs clarification that national forest reference emissions levels will be discussed and decided with concrete timelines. Both of these critical dimensions of a new global forest paradigm are now very much in play," he says according to mongabay.com.

This the one of the few areas where significant progress has been made in Copenhagen, says Cara Peace, Tropical Forest Group's Assistant Director for Policy in a statement.

"Saving tropical forests has positively catalyzed the climate change negotiations - it is the only beacon in an otherwise dark night," mongabay.com cites her as saying.

According to Reuters, the latest draft text also addressed several key issues on protecting the interests of indigenous people, but activists complain that is has been moved out of a legally binding part of the text.

Further commitments needed to break negotiation deadlock

The UN climate change conference is not short of drafts, blueprints and proposals. However, economic pledges are sparse. A new blueprint, outlining three proposals for long-term climate aid, does not include any financial commitments.

Rie Jerichow 15/12/2009 14:30

A blueprint, released Tuesday in Copenhagen, outlines three options for long-term climate aid from developed to developing countries. However, none of the options include any financial commitments, Bloomberg reports.

"This is eyewash - it’s a paper tiger," Quamrul Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi envoy who coordinates the group of Least Developed Countries on finance issues, says in an interview in Copenhagen. "There is nothing in terms of long-term finance," he adds according to Bloomberg.

As of Tuesday, United Nations negotiators have failed to agree on the financial aid that the US, Japan and other developed nations will give to the developing world to cope with climate change, Bloomberg reports, referring to a draft document.

"The Copenhagen climate conference is in the grip of a serious deadlock," the Guardian concludes in a feature.

Japan to unveil 10 billion dollars in climate aid

A pledge of funds from rich countries will be a key ingredient for any climate change deal in Copenhagen. Japan is ready to make an offer in Copenhagen.

Rie Jerichow 15/12/2009 13:25

When Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama lands in Copenhagen for the UN climate summit, he will bring along an offer of 10 billion US dollars to help developing countries fight global warming, the Tokyo Shimbun daily reports, according to Reuters.

The pledge of 10 billion dollars over three years, including steps to protect biodiversity, is more than previously announced.

According to Reuters, Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa last week declined to say how much Japan - the world's fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases - would contribute, but said that the government wanted to pay more than a previously announced 9.2 billion dollars over three years

Schwarzenegger says states key to climate fight

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says countries cannot solve the problem of climate change without the help of states, cities, regions, activists, scientists and universities.

AP/Nanet Poulsen 15/12/2009 11:05

In a speech planned Tuesday before the UN climate conference in Copenhagen, Schwarzenegger will encourage international agreements but say that won't be enough to combat global warming.

"The world's governments alone cannot make the progress that is needed on global climate change," Schwarzenegger says in remarks prepared for delivery at the 192-nation conference. "They need the cities, the states, the provinces, the regions. They need the corporations, the activists, the scientists, the universities."

President Barack Obama and more than 100 other national leaders were heading to Copenhagen in hopes of forging the framework of a plan to limit the causes of global warming.

Schwarzenegger was invited to address the conference to highlight the efforts of states and other local governments, said his spokesman, Aaron McLear.

Schwarzenegger committed California to cutting greenhouse gas emissions three years ago.

California is on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, about a 30 percent cut from projected emissions. The statewide mandate was the first in the United States.

Developing world threatens battle on drafts

African countries, Brazil, China, South Africa and India say they have produced a default proposal to be used only if rich countries try to shortcut UN-led negotiations in Copenhagen.

Morten Andersen 15/12/2009 20:45

At the ongoing UN conference on climate change, COP15, a group consisting of African countries plus the BASIC block – Brazil, South Africa, India and China – have drawn up a text for a new global agreement.

However, the text is only "ready in the wings (…) if any of the other groups springs a surprise draft (…) then the G-77 (Group of 77, representing most of the world’s developing countries) would put out this text," the Hindustan Times reports, quoting India's Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh:

"We are holding it (…) if there is a "Danish" we will produce "ABASIC"," the minister says.

By a "Danish" the minister hints at a draft text allegedly produced by the Copenhagen conference’s host last week, claimed to favor developed countries.

"ABASIC" is an acronym combining an A for Africa with BASIC, which is an informal group consisting of Brazil, South Africa, India and China.

In another interview Jairam Ramesh indicates that the default text may never be released, as the negotiations are already hampered by too many drafts:

"I think the way the (UN) working groups are functioning is not conducive to creating any form of consensus. Right now I'm really confused. If you want to maintain your sanity, don’t look at drafts," Mr. Ramesh tells Bloomberg.

Source> http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=3007

COP15 – day 8 roundup

Informal talks between the COP presidency and developing countries ended a daylong boycott of negotiations Monday, which was triggered by controversy over the Kyoto Protocol.

Michael von Bülow 14/12/2009 22:55

Poor countries agree to resume climate talks

The European Union says poor countries have stopped their boycott of climate change negotiations at Copenhagen and have found a solution to their dispute with rich nations.

AP/Michael von Bülow (article updated) 14/12/2009 19:40

Poor countries ended a temporary boycott of the UN climate talks Monday after getting assurances that rich nations were not conspiring to reduce their commitments to cutting greenhouse gases, European officials said.

Informal talks resolved the impasse between rich and poor nations and ended the daylong boycott, which was started by African countries and backed by 135 developing countries including China and India.

The boycott disrupted efforts to forge a pact on global warming, delaying the frantic work of negotiators who are trying to resolve technical issues before more than 110 world leaders arrive in Copenhagen later in the week. It appeared aimed at shifting the focus of the UN climate talks to the responsibilities of industrial countries and making greenhouse gas emission cuts the first item for the leaders to discuss.

Andreas Carlgren, the European Union environment spokesman, said both rich and poor nations "found a reasonable solution." Developing countries agreed to return to all negotiating groups that they had abandoned earlier Monday, said Anders Frandsen, a spokesman for conference president Connie Hedegaard of Denmark.

The developing countries want to extend the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which imposed penalties on rich nations if they did not comply with its strict emissions limits but made no such binding demands on developing nations.

"We are really prepared to discuss all issues in the negotiations. It means also absolutely all issues under the Kyoto Protocol," Carlgren said.

The dispute came as the conference entered its second and critical week. Poor countries, supported by China, said Hedegaard had raised suspicion that the conference was likely to kill the Kyoto Protocol.

The United States had withdrawn from Kyoto over concerns that it would harm the US economy and that China, India and other major greenhouse gas emitters were not required to take action. China is now the world's largest greenhouse gas polluter.

"We are seeing the death of the Kyoto Protocol," said Djemouai Kamel of Algeria, the head of the 50-nation Africa group.

It was the second time African envoys have disrupted the climate talks. At the last round of negotiations in November, the African bloc forced a one-day suspension until wealthy countries agreed to spell out what steps they will take to reduce emissions.

"They are trying to put the pressure on" before Obama and other world leaders arrive, said Gustavo Silva-Chavez of the Environmental Defense Fund. "They want to make sure that developed countries are not left off the hook."

Canada's Environment Minister Jim Prentice said the dispute was a setback to negotiations.

"We have lost some time. There is no doubt about that," Prentice said. "It is not particularly helpful, but all in all it is our responsibility to get on with it and continue to negotiate."

UN: Don't leave tough climate issues to leaders

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is warning that if negotiators at the climate change conference in Copenhagen leave the tough issues to global leaders to resolve the world risks having a weak deal or no deal.

AP/Michael von Bülow 14/12/2009 19:45

Ban appealed to negotiators to redouble their efforts, stop posturing or blaming others, and reach a compromise.

He told reporters Monday before flying to Copenhagen that he is reasonably optimistic the UN conference will end with a politically binding deal that is fair, comprehensive and equitable.

Ban said there is strong support among the 192 UN member states for 10 billion US dollars in fast-track, short-term funding to help developing countries deal with climate change starting in 2010.

He said he will be urging agreement on longer-term and a larger financial support package up to 2020 and beyond to help developing nations cope with global warming.

Russian call on big emitters

An agreement between the US, Brazil, India and China can form the basis of a global deal, says Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev.

Morten Andersen 14/12/2009 18:40

Four countries hold the key to combating climate change successfully. If the US, Brazil, India and China coordinate their commitments, an agreement will be found at the ongoing UN-led negotiations in Copenhagen – according to Russia’s president.

“These must be simultaneous commitments and commitments that we all abide by. Trying to do this by our own will be fruitless and pointless,” Dmitry Medvedev says, according to Bloomberg.

China, the US and India are three of the world’s largest emitters, while Brazil has a large impact on the global climate through its management of the Amazon forest.

Russia accounts for roughly six percent of global emissions and has recently pledged to reduce its emissions by 25 percent over the coming years. The cornerstone of the government’s plan is a huge rise in energy efficiency and more nuclear power.

Malaysia is ready to cut emissions

"Developed countries should do most, but Malaysia is ready to do its share," says Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Morten Andersen 14/12/2009 17:50

As Najib Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, joins the UN summit on climate change in Copenhagen later this week, his agenda will go beyond placing demands on industrialized countries.

“We are willing to offer our commitment. I am not just going to call on the developed world. I am going to commit Malaysia and I am going to commit Malaysia to very credible cuts which means we have to spend, which we will do,” Najib Razak tells Reuters.

According to UN data, Malaysians emit 7.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide per capita (2006 figures) – which is not so much less compared to an average person in the industrialized world.

Najib Razak says that “all nations must contribute” to a new global deal and that “it has to be predicated on the fundamental principles of the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change”.

The Prime Minister also hopes that a solution on international funding that may help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change will be found in Copenhagen: “Otherwise we are just going to face a very uncertain future and the effects will be quite catastrophic.”

Miliband: Get your act together

The British Climate Change Secretary says that the climate negotiations are moving too slowly and urges environment ministers to leave only few issues behind to be resolved by world leaders.

Marianne Bom 14/12/2009 17:20

Environment ministers must ''get their act together'' to prepare a deal for world leaders to sign at the end of the week, UK Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said Monday.

Environment ministers from all over the world have now arrived at the ongoing UN climate change conference in Copenhagen, and Ed Miliband urged his colleagues to leave only few issues behind to be resolved by heads of state and government.

''I've always said the leaders' role in this process is incredibly important to get the final pieces of the jigsaw in place. But what we cannot do is leave a whole slew of issues to leaders,” Miliband said, according to The Telegraph.

''I think that the very clear message for negotiators and ministers is that we need to get our act together and take action to resolve some of the outstanding issues that we face… We're now getting close to midnight in this negotiation and we need to act like it.“

In an explanation of why the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will arrive two days early to Copenhagen, Miliband said: “It’s a sign that negotiations are moving too slowly. He can play a very important role in brokering and negotiating key issues but frankly it’s up to negotiators and ministers not to leave everything to the leaders.”

Ed Miliband stressed two important outstanding issues: “There are two outstanding issues that I think all countries face, frankly, in this, which is whether we are willing to stand behind our commitments and say that we're going to do what we promise and, secondly, the precise system of monitoring, reporting and verification to make sure people actually follow through on what they promise.''

New model for climate funding

Norway and Mexico launch a joint model to provide predictable funding for climate actions in developing countries, starting in 2013.

Marianne Bom 14/12/2009 13:30

Norway and Mexico join forces and propose a model for climate funding at the negotiations in Copenhagen. The model establishes a Green Fund for financing of climate actions in developing countries.

Contributions to the Green Fund should come both from public budgets and from auctioning of emission allowances. According to the proposal, the scale of the Green Fund could start around 10 billion dollars per year by 2013 and increase to 30-40 billion dollars by 2020.

Mexico's President Felipe Calderón (photo above) and Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg "hope that through our joint proposal we can help develop a funding model everyone can endorse," they say in a common statement.

"To achieve an ambitious outcome in Copenhagen, it is crucial that we reach an agreement on financing climate actions in developing countries," they say.

Both countries find the resources so far raised for funding climate actions in developing countries inadequate. At an earlier stage in the negotiations both Norway and Mexico tabled proposals that could give increased predictable funding for climate actions in developing countries. The new model combines these proposals.

Norway's proposal is a model where a certain percentage of the total UN-allowances should be set aside for international auctioning to finance climate actions in developing countries. Mexico has proposed to establish a Green Fund that draws funding based on each country's emissions, GDP and population. The joint model uses both sources of income.

"In order to raise an adequate amount we will combine complementary sources of financing. This money should both finance adaption and mitigation efforts in developing countries. Financing should be based on results," Calderón and Stoltenberg say, according to a press release.

Backwards step for forest deal

A proposal aimed at saving the world's tropical forests suffered a setback Sunday, when negotiators at the UN climate talks ditched plans for faster action on the problem because of concerns that rich countries aren't willing to finance it.

AP/Nanet poulsen 14/12/2009 11:20

Destruction of forests — burning or cutting trees to clear land for plantations or cattle ranches — is thought to account for about 20 percent of global emissions. That's as much carbon dioxide as all the world's cars, trucks, trains, planes and ships combined.

So a deal on deforestation is considered a key component of a larger pact on climate change being negotiated in Copenhagen.

On Sunday, language calling for reducing deforestation 50 percent by 2020 was struck from the text being considered. And the document only mentions financing without saying how much would go to the more than 40 developing nations in Latin America, Asia and Africa.

The Europeans want to put in a shorter-term goal, "and the rain forest nations are saying that we are happy to have a goal as long as it's balanced by appropriate funding ... which is missing from the text," said Federica Bietta, the deputy director of the Coalition for Rain Forest Nations. The group represents most of the countries that could take part in a forest scheme.

Antonio Gabriel La Vina, the lead negotiator in the forest talks and author of the latest draft, downplayed the changes and said it was a compromise between those who wanted hard targets and those who didn't.

Environmentalists earlier this month hailed the forest talks as one area where negotiations were progressing and some suggested they could serve as a catalyst to inking a larger climate deal here in Copenhagen.

But they have fallen victim to the same bickering between rich and poor nations which has slowed progress on the wider agreement. There are still no firm figures on financing or cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the larger agreement

France promotes plan to fight deforestation

The presidents of France and Indonesia say representatives at the UN climate talks must provide adequate funding for a plan to reduce emissions from deforestation.

AP/Michael von Bülow 14/12/2009 21:50

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Indonesian counterpart, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said in a joint statement that they're working hard toward an "ambitious agreement" in Copenhagen. They met Monday in Paris.

France is supporting a plan for fighting deforestation at the talks. The issue is important for Indonesia because it is home to 10 percent of the world's forests.

A proposal aimed at saving tropical forests — and reducing emissions by doing so — suffered a setback this weekend when climate negotiators dropped plans for faster action on the problem because of financing concerns

Rich countries behind green technology fund

The White House on Monday announced a new program drawing funds from international partners to spend 350 million US dollars over five years to supply developing nations with clean energy technology.

AP/Michael von Bülow 14/12/2009 21:45

The program will contribute to distribution of solar power alternatives for homes, including sun-powered lanterns, supply of cleaner equipment and appliances and a push to fund and put in place renewable energy systems in the world's poorer nations.

The funding plan grew out of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) established among the world's top economies earlier this year, with a decision to produce detail plans and spending at the July summit meeting in L'Aquila, Italy.

The US share of the program will amount to 85 million US dollars with the remainder coming from Australia, Britain, Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland, the White House said in a statement by spokesman Robert Gibbs.

He said President Barack Obama had assigned Energy Secretary Steven Chu to coordinate with partners in the MEF to insure immediate action on the program

India sets Tuesday night deadline

When the first heads of state arrive at Copenhagen on Wednesday, they must have an agreed text to look at, says India’s Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh.

Morten Andersen 14/12/2009 21:25

According to The Economic Times of India, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh “categorically” insists that an agreed text on a global deal reaching beyond the present period of the Kyoto Protocol must be worked out during the night of Tuesday, December 15.

“Ministers and heads of state and government cannot negotiate a text. The heads of state and government will be arriving from December 16 and they have to work on adopting a political statement,” Jairam Ramesh says.

According to the Indian newspaper, the country is contributing to reaching a deal by “displaying flexibility in its climate change position by offering to adopt the international guidelines under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)” – meaning India is prepared to let the UNFCCC verify that internationally funded projects are yielding the expected results.

“We have agreed to a national communication once in two years for both supported and unsupported actions. For the unsupported efforts the monitoring will be domestic only. The manner in which we do our domestic evaluation would be on the international guidelines as prepared by UNFCCC,” says Jairam Ramesh.

According to The Economic Times of India, this approach should satisfy both the international community – seeking verifiability – and the domestic audience, who fear India will give away too much control over its own development.

Mr. Ramesh also dismisses any suggestions of replacing the Kyoto Protocol with an alternative agreement: “India is not here to renegotiate agreement. The mandate enables (the) existing two track approach of the Kyoto Protocol and the Long-term Co-operative Action to move ahead. The two tracks must be completed by 2010 at the latest.”

Source> http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=2988