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Developing nations bitter over last-minute accord

UN chief hails deal as 'important beginning' after talks almost collapsed in overnight session

  • Reuters
  • Published: 00:00 December 20, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: AP
  • Delegates and reporters are escorted by a Danish police officer, right, as the pass a sign reading "Only Climate Justice Will Save COP", referring the to the UN Climate Conference held at Bella Centre, Copenhagen.

Copenhagen: The United Nations climate conference ended yesterday after a new US-brokered deal supported by five emerging economies, including China, skirted bitter opposition from several nations to ensure the talks did not collapse.

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

But a decision at marathon 193-nation talks merely took note of the new accord, a non-binding deal for combating global warming led by the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa.

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 US-led plan after about 120 world leaders left after a summit on Friday.

Many nations said the deal fell far short of a turning point to push the world economy towards renewable energies such as hydro, solar and wind power and away from fossil fuels.

China had resisted international monitoring of its emissions curbs and the final wording took into account Chinese concerns, speaking of the need to protect sovereignty.

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Before leaving, Obama said the deal was a starting point. "This progress did not come easily and we know this progress alone is not enough," he said.

Do you agree with the way the US powered their way towards a deal? Is the deal unfair to developing nations? Will it have any real impact on the world's carbon emissions?

Comments (2)

  1. Added 12:08 December 20, 2009

    It is disgusting to see that the world leaders have little or no concern over matters related to environment. The importance given to other matters like war and trade seems to eclipse all other concerns for the humanity. If it was for increasing the nuclear stock or some other issues we could have seen a keen attendance from this so called world leaders. Let each one of us take a little step and show them how we can reduce our output which harms the environment; actions are better than words.

    Harry , Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  2. Added 08:53 December 20, 2009

    Copenhagen meet is a good start, but Delveloped countries have to take a major intitative, than developing countries like China and Inida whose present contribution towards carbon emmission is comparitively more. However this meet has created huge vibration and greater awareness at the grass root level to control Global Warming.

    KK. Rajaram, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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