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, to change history. Time is of the essence and negotiations are progressing too slowly. Mr Ban said. "Three years of effort comes down to three days of action."...don't "falter in the home stretch". 'Compromise' is required.
Delegates have been poring over the details of a new draft text, ahead of the start of the high-level segment.
On Friday, about 130 world leaders are set to attend the summit's final session.
"When it comes to the air we breathe and the water we drink, there are no national boundaries," Prince of Wales 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."
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).
On Monday, the talks were temporarily suspended after a delegation representing developing nations withdrew their co-operation. 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.
Developing countries are adamant that developed nations still inside the protocol - all except the US - must commit to further emission cuts under its aegis. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
The Clock is ticking on these crucial negotiation and the climate situation requires coordinated action.
The Clock is ticking on these crucial negotiation and the climate situation requires coordinated action.
Source: BBC NEWS:
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