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| 'Seal a deal', climate talks told | 'Seal a deal', climate talks told |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The high-level segment at the UN climate summit has opened, with UN chief Ban Ki-moon telling nations to "seal a deal" on climate change. | The high-level segment at the UN climate summit has opened, with UN chief Ban Ki-moon telling nations to "seal a deal" on climate change. |
| He told delegates in Copenhagen that they had the chance to change history. | He told delegates in Copenhagen that they had the chance to change history. |
| But he added: "We do not have another year to deliberate; nature does not negotiate with us." | But he added: "We do not have another year to deliberate; nature does not negotiate with us." |
| Earlier, a senior UN official warned that negotiations were progressing too slowly and that there was still an "enormous amount of work to be done". | Earlier, a senior UN official warned that negotiations were progressing too slowly and that there was still an "enormous amount of work to be done". |
| "For three years, I have sought to bring world leaders to the table," Mr Ban said. "Three years of effort comes down to three days of action." | "For three years, I have sought to bring world leaders to the table," Mr Ban said. "Three years of effort comes down to three days of action." |
| He urged the gathered negotiators not to "falter in the home stretch". | He urged the gathered negotiators not to "falter in the home stretch". |
| "No-one will get everything they want. But if we work together then everyone will get what they need." | "No-one will get everything they want. But if we work together then everyone will get what they need." |
| 'Compromise' | 'Compromise' |
| Delegates have been poring over the details of a new draft text, ahead of the start of the high-level segment. | Delegates have been poring over the details of a new draft text, ahead of the start of the high-level segment. |
| When it comes to the air we breathe and the water we drink, there are no national boundaries Prince of Wales Prince's climate change warning | |
| On Friday, about 130 world leaders are set to attend the summit's final session. | On Friday, about 130 world leaders are set to attend the summit's final session. |
| Connie Hedegaard, the conference's president, told the opening ceremony: "The key word for the next two days must be compromise." | Connie Hedegaard, the conference's president, told the opening ceremony: "The key word for the next two days must be compromise." |
| "Success is still within reach, but... I must also warn you: we can fail," she added. | "Success is still within reach, but... I must also warn you: we can fail," she added. |
| The Prince of Wales, a life-long campaigner on environmental issues, used his address to the conference to call for unity. | |
| "When it comes to the air we breathe and the water we drink, there are no national boundaries," he said. | |
| "We all depend on each other - and, crucially, on each other's actions - for our weather, our food, our water and our energy." | |
| He warned a partial solution was "no solution at all" and called for an "inclusive" and "comprehensive" approach that "strengthened the resilience of our ecosystems." | |
| At a briefing on Tuesday, Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, warned that the talks had reached a "distinct and important moment". | At a briefing on Tuesday, Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, warned that the talks had reached a "distinct and important moment". |
| "We have - over the last week or so - seen progress in a number of areas, but we haven't seen enough of it," he told reporters. | "We have - over the last week or so - seen progress in a number of areas, but we haven't seen enough of it," he told reporters. |
| Ban Ki-moon: "We must not exceed two degrees" | |
| "There is still an enormous amount of work and ground to be covered if this conference is to deliver what people expect it to deliver." | "There is still an enormous amount of work and ground to be covered if this conference is to deliver what people expect it to deliver." |
| Elsewhere, a row erupted after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called for the summit to focus on limiting the rise in global temperatures to 2.0C (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels. | Elsewhere, a row erupted after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called for the summit to focus on limiting the rise in global temperatures to 2.0C (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels. |
| His comments angered a number of developing nations delegations, who have been campaigning for the rise to be limited to 1.5C (2.7C), or even 1.0C (1.8F). | His comments angered a number of developing nations delegations, who have been campaigning for the rise to be limited to 1.5C (2.7C), or even 1.0C (1.8F). |
| 'Twin-track' talks | 'Twin-track' talks |
| On Monday, the talks were temporarily suspended after a delegation representing developing nations withdrew their co-operation. | On Monday, the talks were temporarily suspended after a delegation representing developing nations withdrew their co-operation. |
COPENHAGEN LATEST
| COPENHAGEN LATEST
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| Following the action by the African group, supported by the wider G77-China bloc of developing nations, some sessions ran long into the night as negotiators tried to make up lost time. | Following the action by the African group, supported by the wider G77-China bloc of developing nations, some sessions ran long into the night as negotiators tried to make up lost time. |
| The Danish conference hosts had been accused of trying to sideline negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol by packaging discussion of outstanding difficult issues from across the various strands into a single informal session. | The Danish conference hosts had been accused of trying to sideline negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol by packaging discussion of outstanding difficult issues from across the various strands into a single informal session. |
| Developing countries are adamant that developed nations still inside the protocol - all except the US - must commit to further emission cuts under its aegis. | Developing countries are adamant that developed nations still inside the protocol - all except the US - must commit to further emission cuts under its aegis. |
| After discussions with the Danes and UN climate convention officials, the informal talks were split as the G77-China bloc had demanded. | After discussions with the Danes and UN climate convention officials, the informal talks were split as the G77-China bloc had demanded. |
| One group, chaired by Germany and Indonesia, is examining further emission cuts by developed nations under the Kyoto Protocol. | One group, chaired by Germany and Indonesia, is examining further emission cuts by developed nations under the Kyoto Protocol. |
| Another, chaired by the UK and Ghana, is looking at long-term financing to help poorer countries develop along "green" lines and protect themselves against impacts of climate change. | Another, chaired by the UK and Ghana, is looking at long-term financing to help poorer countries develop along "green" lines and protect themselves against impacts of climate change. |
CLIMATE CHANGE GLOSSARYGlossary in full | CLIMATE CHANGE GLOSSARYGlossary in full |
| A senior Chinese source, meanwhile, confirmed to BBC News that China would not accept any money from the West for these purposes. | A senior Chinese source, meanwhile, confirmed to BBC News that China would not accept any money from the West for these purposes. |
| This is likely to carry political significance in the US, where some legislators are adamant that domestic carbon-cutting measures must not hand funds to the country set to emerge as its biggest economic rival. | This is likely to carry political significance in the US, where some legislators are adamant that domestic carbon-cutting measures must not hand funds to the country set to emerge as its biggest economic rival. |
| Here, the positions of the world's two largest emitters are very much at odds, with China rejecting US demands that its emission curbs must be subject to international verification. | Here, the positions of the world's two largest emitters are very much at odds, with China rejecting US demands that its emission curbs must be subject to international verification. |
| The US also rejected the notion that it would deepen its offer of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions. | The US also rejected the notion that it would deepen its offer of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions. |
| "I am not anticipating any change in the mitigation commitment," US chief delegate Todd Stern told reporters, saying that Washington's stance had already been spelt out by President Barack Obama. | "I am not anticipating any change in the mitigation commitment," US chief delegate Todd Stern told reporters, saying that Washington's stance had already been spelt out by President Barack Obama. |
| Last month, the US administration announced a series of emission targets. It pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 17% from 2005 levels by 2020, 30% by 2025, 42% by 2030 and 83% by 2050. | Last month, the US administration announced a series of emission targets. It pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 17% from 2005 levels by 2020, 30% by 2025, 42% by 2030 and 83% by 2050. |
| China has accused developed countries of backtracking on what it says are their obligations to fight climate change and has warned that the UN climate talks in Copenhagen have entered a critical stage. | China has accused developed countries of backtracking on what it says are their obligations to fight climate change and has warned that the UN climate talks in Copenhagen have entered a critical stage. |
| Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said there had been "some regression" on the part of developed countries, who had "put forward a plethora" of demands on developing countries. | Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said there had been "some regression" on the part of developed countries, who had "put forward a plethora" of demands on developing countries. |
| Beijing's view is that the US and other richer nations have a historical responsibility to cut emissions, and any climate deal should take into account a country's development level. | Beijing's view is that the US and other richer nations have a historical responsibility to cut emissions, and any climate deal should take into account a country's development level. |
| Do you have a question for world leaders at Copenhagen? What would you ask them if you were at the summit? Send it to us. The best questions we receive will be answered by a panel of world leaders in a special televised debate. | Do you have a question for world leaders at Copenhagen? What would you ask them if you were at the summit? Send it to us. The best questions we receive will be answered by a panel of world leaders in a special televised debate. |
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