Time running out for deal on climate change
A fresh round of UN climate talks started in Bangkok today with leaders hoping to break the deadlock over a global warming deal and warning that failure would leave future generations fighting for survival.
Negotiations on a new UN climate pact have been bogged down by a broad unwillingness to commit to firm emissions targets, and a refusal by developing countries to sign a deal until the West guarantees tens of billions of in financial assistance.
"Time is not just pressing. It has almost run out," UN climate chief Yvo de Boer said, with a clock nearby showing there were 70 days until world leaders were scheduled to meet in Copenhagen to finalise a pact.
"But in two weeks, real progress can be made toward the goals world leaders set for negotiations, to break the deadlock and cooperate toward concrete progress," he said, adding there were no other options.
"If we don't realise Plan A, the future will hold us to account."
Connie Hedegaard, the Danish minister for climate and energy whose country will host the talks in December, told delegates the world was watching and urged them to build on momentum from last week's UN climate summit where 100 world leaders pledged their support for an agreement.
At the New York summit, President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao - whose countries are the world's two biggest emitters, each accounting for about 20% of greenhouse gas pollution - both vowed tough measures to combat climate change.
The two weeks of UN climate talks in the Thai capital, the second to last meeting before Copenhagen, are drawing some 1,500 delegates from 180 countries who will be tasked with boiling down a 200-page draft agreement to something more manageable. They also will be working to close the gap between rich and poor countries that risk derailing the talks in December.
Most countries agree that temperature increases should be limited to 2C above pre-industrial levels of about 150 years ago, but so far, there is no consensus on how to do it.
Most industrialised nations have offered emissions cuts of 15% to 23% below 1990 levels by 2020, falling short of the 25% to 40% cuts scientists and activists say are needed to keep temperature increases below 2C.
Mr De Boer said negotiations were far behind where they should be, but he remained confident a deal would be reached in Copenhagen, but others are not sure.
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