By Gerard Wynn
LONDON, Sept 24 (Reuters) – Major developing countries have
dampened prospects for agreement on international carbon
emissions reduction targets by insisting on distinguishing
between the responsibilities of industrialised and emerging
economies to act on climate change beyond 2020.
At a meeting in Durban, South Africa, last December,
ministers agreed to negotiate a deal, for implementation from
2020, in which all countries participated, boosting prospects
for agreement on medium-term climate targets.
Those U.N.-backed negotiations are the world’s main
multilateral process for agreeing carbon cuts and can help guide
choices in global energy consumption and ambition in emissions
markets. So far they have fallen short.
The Durban meeting seemed to overcome a division that has
long threatened U.S. participation.
The United States has complained that its main economic
rival, China, as well as other major emerging economies, have
escaped binding targets of any kind under the U.N. negotiations,
after a Climate Convention in 1992 divided the responsibilities
of Annex 1 (developed) and non-Annex 1 (developing) countries.
Last December, countries agreed a 2-page “Durban Platform
for Enhanced Action” which appeared to sweep aside the
dichotomy, making no reference to formally divided
responsibilities and so appearing to launch a fresh era in
negotiations.
However, on Friday, ministers from Brazil, South Africa,
India and China (dubbed “BASIC” countries, in U.N. climate
jargon) said any deal must explicitly distinguish action between
industrialised and emerging economies and by implication between
the United States and China, the world’s top two emitters,
appearing to put negotiations back at least one year.
Continued…
