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Version 9 | Version 10 |
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Act now on climate, summit urged | Act now on climate, summit urged |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen has described the UN climate summit in Copenhagen as an "opportunity the world cannot afford to miss". | Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen has described the UN climate summit in Copenhagen as an "opportunity the world cannot afford to miss". |
Opening the two-week conference in the Danish capital, he told delegates from 192 countries a "strong and ambitious climate change agreement" was needed. | Opening the two-week conference in the Danish capital, he told delegates from 192 countries a "strong and ambitious climate change agreement" was needed. |
About 100 leaders are to attend the meeting, which aims to reach agreement on supplanting the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. | |
The UN says an unprecedented number of countries have promised emissions cuts. | The UN says an unprecedented number of countries have promised emissions cuts. |
AT THE SCENE Richard Black, BBC environment correspondent | AT THE SCENE Richard Black, BBC environment correspondent |
Even before the talks officially opened, fault lines between the various blocs here appeared to be widening. | Even before the talks officially opened, fault lines between the various blocs here appeared to be widening. |
Although UN climate convention head Yvo de Boer said things were in "excellent shape", with more countries than ever before proposing emission cuts, two big questions hang over these proposals: will they be acceptable to the developing world, and are they enough to prevent "dangerous" climate change? | Although UN climate convention head Yvo de Boer said things were in "excellent shape", with more countries than ever before proposing emission cuts, two big questions hang over these proposals: will they be acceptable to the developing world, and are they enough to prevent "dangerous" climate change? |
At this stage, the answers appear to be "no" and "maybe". The UN Environment Programme calculates that cuts on the table are nearly enough if every country turns its most ambitious pledges into action. | At this stage, the answers appear to be "no" and "maybe". The UN Environment Programme calculates that cuts on the table are nearly enough if every country turns its most ambitious pledges into action. |
But other analyses suggest there is still a significant gap between what scientists say is necessary and what is on offer politically. | But other analyses suggest there is still a significant gap between what scientists say is necessary and what is on offer politically. |
That is of great concern to governments that feel themselves on the "front line" of climate impacts. | That is of great concern to governments that feel themselves on the "front line" of climate impacts. |
More from Richard Black | More from Richard Black |
Mr Rasmussen told delegates that the world was looking to the conference to safeguard humanity. | Mr Rasmussen told delegates that the world was looking to the conference to safeguard humanity. |
"For the next two weeks," he said, "Copenhagen will be Hopenhagen. By the end, we must be able to deliver back to the world what was granted us here today: hope for a better future." | "For the next two weeks," he said, "Copenhagen will be Hopenhagen. By the end, we must be able to deliver back to the world what was granted us here today: hope for a better future." |
Later, Rajendra Pachauri, who heads the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), criticised the "climategate" affair - the recent publication of e-mails among scientists assessing global warming at Britain's University of East Anglia. | Later, Rajendra Pachauri, who heads the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), criticised the "climategate" affair - the recent publication of e-mails among scientists assessing global warming at Britain's University of East Anglia. |
He said the breaches showed "that some would go to the extent of carrying out illegal acts, perhaps in an attempt to discredit the IPCC". | He said the breaches showed "that some would go to the extent of carrying out illegal acts, perhaps in an attempt to discredit the IPCC". |
Saudi climate negotiator Mohammad Al-Sabban, who has been resisting emissions curbs, told the conference that trust in climate science had been "shaken" by the leaked e-mails. | |
UN climate convention head Yvo de Boer said the time had come to deliver cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. | |
"The time for formal statements is over. The time for re-stating well-known positions is past," he told delegates. | |
"Copenhagen will only be a success if it delivers significant and immediate action." | |
Connie Hedegaard, conference president and Denmark's former climate minister, said: "This is our chance. If we miss it, it could take years before we got a new and better one. If we ever do." | |
Tougher targets? | Tougher targets? |
Mr de Boer said offers of finance for clean technology for poor countries were also coming through and that talks were progressing on a long-term vision of massive cuts by 2050. | |
At the deal's heart must be a settlement between the rich world and the developing world Jointly written editorial in 56 newspapers in 45 countries BBC poll: Climate fears on rise | At the deal's heart must be a settlement between the rich world and the developing world Jointly written editorial in 56 newspapers in 45 countries BBC poll: Climate fears on rise |
On Monday, South Africa became the latest country to make an offer - saying it would cut by one-third the growth of its carbon emissions over the next decade, subject to getting more funding and help from wealthier countries. | |
In July, the G8 bloc of industrialised countries and some major developing countries adopted a target of keeping the global average temperature rise since pre-industrial times to 2C. | In July, the G8 bloc of industrialised countries and some major developing countries adopted a target of keeping the global average temperature rise since pre-industrial times to 2C. |
However now the G77/China bloc - which speaks on behalf of developing countries - is discussing whether to demand a much tougher target of 1.5C. | |
Rajendra Pachauri, IPCC chairman: "These e-mails don't change anything" | |
A number of African delegations are backing the argument made by small island states that 2C will bring major impacts to their countries. | A number of African delegations are backing the argument made by small island states that 2C will bring major impacts to their countries. |
BBC environment correspondent Richard Black says this would raise a huge obstacle, because none of the industrialised countries have put forward emission cuts in the range that would be required to meet a 1.5C target. | BBC environment correspondent Richard Black says this would raise a huge obstacle, because none of the industrialised countries have put forward emission cuts in the range that would be required to meet a 1.5C target. |
The African Union has threatened to walk out of the talks if industrialised countries do not agree to help poor ones pay for the transition to cleaner economies. | |
Tougher targets? | |
Meanwhile, a new poll commissioned by the BBC suggests that public concern over climate change is growing across the world. | Meanwhile, a new poll commissioned by the BBC suggests that public concern over climate change is growing across the world. |
COPENHAGEN IN BRIEF
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In the survey, by Globescan, 64% of people questioned said that they considered global warming a very serious problem - up 20% from a 1998 poll. | In the survey, by Globescan, 64% of people questioned said that they considered global warming a very serious problem - up 20% from a 1998 poll. |
To stress the importance of the summit, 56 newspapers in 45 countries are publishing the same editorial on Monday, warning that climate change will "ravage our planet" unless action is agreed, the London-based Guardian reported. | To stress the importance of the summit, 56 newspapers in 45 countries are publishing the same editorial on Monday, warning that climate change will "ravage our planet" unless action is agreed, the London-based Guardian reported. |
The editorial - to be published in 20 languages - was thrashed out by editors ahead of the Copenhagen talks, the newspaper said. | |
"At the deal's heart must be a settlement between the rich world and the developing world," the editorial says. | "At the deal's heart must be a settlement between the rich world and the developing world," the editorial says. |
Environmental activists are planning to hold protests in Copenhagen and around the world on 12 December to encourage delegates to reach the strongest possible deal. | Environmental activists are planning to hold protests in Copenhagen and around the world on 12 December to encourage delegates to reach the strongest possible deal. |
CLIMATE CHANGE GLOSSARYGlossary in full | CLIMATE CHANGE GLOSSARYGlossary in full |
Any agreement made at Copenhagen is intended to supplant the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on climate change, which expires in 2012. | |
World leaders who have pledged to attend include US President Barack Obama, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. | World leaders who have pledged to attend include US President Barack Obama, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. |
The main areas for discussion include: | The main areas for discussion include: |
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