DENMARK: Split at the climate conference as African nations accuse rich countries of trying to kill the U.N.'s existing Kyoto Protocol

Record ID: 452216

  • Title: DENMARK: Split at the climate conference as African nations accuse rich countries of trying to kill the U.N.'s existing Kyoto Protocol
  • Date: 15th December 2009
  • Summary: COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (DECEMBER 14, 2009) (REUTERS) WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE SLIDE PRESENTATION SHOWING "SPECIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE" WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) WENDY FODEN, CLIMATE OFFICER IN INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE (IUCN), SAYING: "And our earliest result suggests that 15 percent of birds, 23 percent of amphibians and 48 percent of corals are vulnerable to climate change-driven extinction." JOURNALISTS/ WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 30th December 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Denmark
  • Country: Denmark
  • Topics: International Relations,Environment / Natural World
  • Reuters ID: LVAF1OY1YXRLDB6JK3UHA8A46YJU
  • Story Text: African nations accused rich countries on Monday (December 14) of trying to kill the U.N.'s existing Kyoto Protocol for cutting greenhouse gases, in a deep split four days before world leaders aim to forge a new U.N. climate pact.
    Developing nations want to extend the existing Kyoto Protocol, which obliges rich nations, except the United States, to cut emissions of greenhouse gases until 2012, and work out a separate new deal for developing nations.
    But most rich nations want to merge the 1997 Kyoto Protocol into a new, single accord, with obligations for all, as part of an assault on warming that the U.N. panel of climate scientists says will bring more heatwaves, floods and rising seas.
    Algerian negotiator Kamel Djemouai, chairman for the Africa group, said the Kyoto Protocol took seven years to enter into force, and he fears a new treaty would take even longer.
    Nigerian negotiator Victor Ayodoji Fodeke added his voice, saying Africa was on death row.
    "Let's just hope Copenhagen will not be a dashed hope for the developing countries," he said.
    African nations said they would return to Copenhagen climate talks on Monday, allowing the negotations to resume, after winning assurances that the conference put more focus on extending the existing Kyoto Protocol.
    The world this year suffered the fewest number of natural disasters in a decade, but floods, droughts and other extreme weather continued to account for most of the deaths and economic losses, according to a United Nations report released on Monday.
    There were 245 natural disasters recorded this year, down from the decade high of 434 in 2005, said the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.
    Margareta Wahlstrom, special representative for the U.N. secretary general for risk reduction, said storms and floods remained the main killers and the most expensive, although the lower figures for 2009 were "good news.".
    Of the 245 disasters, 224 were weather-related and accounted for 7,0000 deaths out of the 8,900, according to the preliminary figures. The weather-related deaths, which exclude geological events such as earthquakes and volcanoes, caused $15 billion in damages, out of a total of $19 billion, the report said.
    Another UN study released on Monday said that by 2050, ocean acidity could increase by 150 percent and that by 2100, 70 percent of cold-water corals that are feeding grounds for commercial fish species will be exposed to corrosive waters.
    Wendy Foden, climate officer for International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), also said early results suggested 15 percent of birds, 23 percent of amphibians and 48 percent of corals are vulnerable to climate change-driven extinction.
    Last week, scientists at the Copenhagen international climate conference said oceans absorb about 25 percent of all carbon dioxide emitted by humans each year.
    Most developed nations favour a single track largely because the United States, the number two greenhouse gas emitter behind China, is outside Kyoto. They fear signing up for a new Kyoto while Washington slips away with a less strict regime alongside big developing nations.
    A summit of 110 world leaders will try to agree a solution on Friday.
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