Copenhagen: Gordon Brown tells the world: We are only halfway to climate deal

Published on Monday 14 December 2009 21:35

THE Prime Minister warned that the world is only "halfway" to an agreement on climate change, as disputes between rich and poor nations threatened to derail talks in Copenhagen yesterday.

Mr Brown, who is to fly to the Danish capital today – two days earlier than originally planned – warned developed and developing countries not to "divide" in the talks. And he pledged that Britain would work "tirelessly" to get a lasting deal to combat global warming.

His words followed a chaotic day at the 192-nation Copenhagen summit, as it entered its second and final week.

Negotiations stalled for the entire morning as African nations accused richer countries of seeking to dodge their obligations to cut carbon emissions.

Hundreds of campaigners took part in demonstrations within the main conference hall in support of the Africans' concerns.

In a statement to MPs, Mr Brown called for unity.

"Today we send a message to all over Europe and the world: There is work to do. We are only halfway there to an agreement," he said.

"Now is the time for developed and developing countries not to divide among each other, but to do what no conference of 192 countries has ever achieved before – that is to come together with a forward-looking programme to advance our shared goals."

Developing countries finally agreed to resume climate-change negotiations yesterday after a half-day suspension.

Poorer countries fear that the Copenhagen talks will kill off the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which tied industrialised states into legal commitments to reduce greenhouse gases. Their call for an extension of Kyoto is opposed by some industrialised states because the United States, as well as some of the wealthier developing countries, remain outside the process.

Downing Street announced yesterday that Mr Brown would fly to the conference today to throw his weight behind efforts to reach a deal. A spokesman said the premier remained "optimistic" that a political deal could be reached by Friday.

The developing nations' chief negotiator, Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping, of Sudan, said yesterday's suspension of talks was prompted by the failure of the Danish presidency to put industrial nations' emissions targets at the top of the agenda.

Mr Di-Aping said: "We decided to stop and reflect on what is happening, because it had become clear that the Danish presidency – in the most undemocratic fashion – is advancing the interests of developed countries at the expense of the balance of obligations between developing and developed countries.

"We want a deal that will save the Kyoto Protocol and we want finance and mitigation targets and commitment periods signed at this conference. If that doesn't happen, I am afraid we can't accept the idea that we are going to create a new legal instrument."

Campaigners said the developing countries were right to focus attention on the issue of carbon cuts in rich-world industrialised states. Jeremy Hobbs, executive director of Oxfam International, said: "Africa has pulled the emergency cord to avoid a train crash at the end of the week.

"Poor countries want to see an outcome which guarantees sharp emissions reductions, yet rich countries are trying to delay discussions on the only mechanism we have to deliver this – the Kyoto Protocol."

Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, said it was positive that African nations were making their views heard. But he added: "The downside is we don't have much time left to get text into shape so ministers can make an agreement."

And Duncan McLaren, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "It's not that these nations don't want a deal. It's just that they don't want a deal that will leave them fighting for their survival."

Rowan Popplewell, policy analyst for the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund said the negotiations were "a matter of survival" for African nations. "Vulnerable communities across the world need a fair, ambitious and binding climate agreement," she said.