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Slow progress on UN climate curbs EU 'snub' threat at climate talks
(40 minutes later)
Governments remained deadlocked on the future path of attempts to curb global warming on the penultimate day of the UN climate convention meeting. EU ministers are threatening to boycott a US-led climate summit next month over the Bush administration's opposition to firm cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
The US, Canada and India were among nations opposing attempts to set binding targets for reducing emissions. The row comes during the penultimate day of UN climate talks in Bali.
Europe wants developed countries to agree cuts of 25-40% in emissions from 1990 levels by 2020, but the US and Canada want a more flexible agreement.
The head of the UN climate convention told reporters he was "very concerned" about the glacial pace of talks.The head of the UN climate convention told reporters he was "very concerned" about the glacial pace of talks.
However, some progress has been made on moves to reward poorer countries financially for protecting forests. Several European ministers said if there was no agreement on targets, the EU would boycott a meeting next month of the "major economies" or "big emitters" group called by the White House.
But delegates say much hard work lies ahead on many key issues before the scheduled close on Friday. If we would have a failure in Bali it would be meaningless to have a major economies' meeting Humberto Rosa, Portuguese Environment Minister class="" href="/1/hi/sci/tech/7140348.stm">Q&A: Bali climate President Bush established the group earlier this year. Some observers see it as an attempt to undermine the UN process.
Any long-term agreement should be flexible, allowing all countries to choose policies to suit their realities John Baird, Canadian Environment Minister class="" href="/1/hi/sci/tech/7140348.stm">Q&A: Bali climate "No result in Bali means no major economies meeting, said Germany's Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel.
"I'm very concerned about the pace of things," said Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). "This is the clear position of the EU."
"If we don't manage to get the work done in time on the future, then the whole house of cards basically falls to pieces." Mr Gabriel's Portuguese counterpart, Humberto Rosa, told reporters: "If we would have a failure in Bali it would be meaningless to have a major economies' meeting."
Apart from the issue of emissions cuts, outstanding issues include the transfer of clean technologies to developing countries, and ensuring a sustainable flow of funds to the poorest nations to help protect their economies and societies against the impacts of climate change. But US Under Secretary of State Paula Dobriansky said the Bali conference was designed to be the start of a two-year negotiating process leading to a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol.
Binding bid "We don't have to resolve all these issues... here in Bali," she said.
The EU wants the Bali meeting to agree that developed countries must commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25-40% below 1990 levels by the year 2020. A European boycott of the major emitters' meeting would be embarassing domestically for the Bush administration, which has publicised the process as an economy-friendly route to curbing climate change.
class="" href="/1/hi/sci/tech/7139797.stm">Stark forecast for Arctic This would extend and deepen the current targets contained in the Kyoto Protocol, which expire in 2012. But it would be unlikely to have a long-term influence. The US presidential election is less than a year away, and a new incumbent would be likely to disband the big emitters process.
The bid for further binding targets is resisted by a bloc of industrialised countries including the US, Canada, and Japan. House of cards
EU delegates blame US intransigence for the talks' slow progress. Observers from environmental groups are more concerned that the US/Canadian stance could mean the Bali summit fails to agree on the need for binding targets by 2009.
"We are a bit disappointed that all the world is still waiting for the US," said Humberto Rosa, Portugal's Environment Minister. The UN shares those concerns. "If we don't manage to get the work done in time on the future, then the whole house of cards basically falls to pieces," said Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
European delegates have said that if the US blocks progress here, they will boycott a planned meeting next month of the "big emitters" group, an alternative to the UN process based on voluntary agreements set up by the Bush administration. Apart from emission cuts, outstanding issues include the transfer of clean technologies to developing countries, and ensuring a sustainable flow of funds to the poorest nations to help protect their economies and societies against the impacts of climate change.
But the US/Canada bloc is adamant that any mechanism for future carbon cuts must include major developing world emitters such as India and China, and that targets should not be binding. The US/Canada bloc also wants major developing countries to accept that they will have to cut emissions too. class="" href="/1/hi/sci/tech/7139797.stm">Stark forecast for Arctic Developing country delegates are concerned by this, partly because they feel western countries are trying to distract attention from their historical responsibility for climate change and from the failure of many nations inside the Kyoto Protocol to make meaningful progress towards its targets.
"Climate change cannot be fought through a cookie-cutter approach," said Canada's Environment Minister John Baird.
"Any long-term agreement on climate change should be flexible, allowing for all countries to choose the tools and policies to suit their individual realities."
Many developing countries have expressed concern that they too may be asked to look at committing to firm emissions reduction targets.
In part this is because they feel western countries are trying to distract attention from their historical responsibility for climate change, and the failure of many nations inside the Kyoto Protocol to make meaningful progress towards its targets.
"We are concerned at the attempts to create a new framework which may result in the dilution of specific and timebound commitments on emission reductions by developed countries," said India's Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal."We are concerned at the attempts to create a new framework which may result in the dilution of specific and timebound commitments on emission reductions by developed countries," said India's Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal.
Observers say that privately, some delegates from major developing countries acknowledge they may have to accept firm targets at some point, but there is considerable suspicion that the west may try to foist targets upon them that could retard their economic growth. Observers say that privately, some delegates from major developing countries acknowledge they may have to accept firm targets at some point, but there is considerable suspicion that the West may try to foist targets upon them that could retard their economic growth.
Tree lineTree line
Many developing countries, including the meeting host Indonesia, want the west to pay for preserving what remains of the tropical forests. On the conference fringes, there has been some progress on forestry.
The Stern Review last year confirmed that protecting forests is the cheapest single approach to curbing climate change, as well as contributing to other environmental issues such as conserving biodiversity and safeguarding fresh water supplies. Many developing countries, including the host nation Indonesia, want the West to pay for preserving what remains of the tropical forests.
Trading Borneo's trees The Stern Review last year confirmed that protecting forests was the cheapest single approach to curbing climate change, as well as contributing to other environmental issues such as conserving biodiversity and safeguarding fresh water supplies.
Although committed to the idea in principle, some western governments are concerned about reliable management of forest funds, corruption, the longevity of forest protection agreements, and the possibility that some money might be claimed to protect forests that were safe anyway.Although committed to the idea in principle, some western governments are concerned about reliable management of forest funds, corruption, the longevity of forest protection agreements, and the possibility that some money might be claimed to protect forests that were safe anyway.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7136345.stm">Trading Borneo's trees At the Bali meeting, the World Bank has launched the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) which will explore how forest conservation can be financed and managed. At the Bali meeting, the World Bank has launched the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), which will explore how forest conservation can be financed and managed.
Donors have so far placed $165m in its coffers.Donors have so far placed $165m in its coffers.
The Bali meeting is scheduled to close on Friday evening; but previous UN climate meetings, including the seminal Kyoto summit a decade ago, have over-run their scheduled end-points, and some delegates suggest this one may follow the trend. The Bali meeting is scheduled to close on Friday evening; but previous UN climate meetings, including the seminal Kyoto summit a decade ago, have overrun their scheduled end-points, and some delegates suggest this one may follow the trend.
Environmental groups are concerned that the political necessity of emerging from Bali with some kind of agreement will lead to a "lowest common denominator" text.
"Everyone wants the US in so badly that they will be willing to accept some level of ambiguity in the negotiations," said Greenpeace campaigner John Coequyt.
"Our worry is that we will end up with a deal that is unacceptable from an environmental perspective."
Richard.Black-INTERNET@bbc.co.ukRichard.Black-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk