DENMARK: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says latest environment agreement is positive step but he will work towards a treaty

Record ID: 572339

  • Title: DENMARK: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says latest environment agreement is positive step but he will work towards a treaty
  • Date: 20th December 2009
  • Summary: COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (DECEMBER 18, 2009) (REUTERS) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN AND FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY LEAVING MEETINGS TOGETHER VARIOUS VIEWS OF PAGES FROM DRAFT AGREEMENT
  • Embargoed: 4th January 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Denmark
  • Country: Denmark
  • Topics: International Relations,Environment / Natural World
  • Reuters ID: LVAEA2Q69I85OX7MZPCG0N7W2MX3
  • Story Text: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Saturday (December 19) climate change would be a priority in his discussions with other world leaders.
    "The first step must lead quickly to the next step and that's what I'm saying. I will continue to campaign for a treaty. I will make that one of the big issues that we will talk to the rest of the world about and I believe I've got a support from the majority of countries at this conference for that," Brown told reporters in Copenhagen.
    U.S. President Barack Obama said Friday he forged a climate deal with emerging economic powers, breaking a deadlock at the talks but said the world still had "further to go" in the fight against global warming.
    Obama made the announcement after talks with China's Premier Wen Jiabao, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and South Africa's President Jacob Zuma which led to the breakthrough.
    But not all countries expressed their support.
    "A number of countries were not prepared to go to a treaty but they were prepared to sign up to national emission plans being reflected and a public document with some discussion and international examination of what they were doing. It's the first step, but it's the first step of necessary steps," Brown said, adding that Kyoto was not a comprehensive agreement with all parties onboard.
    Negotiators had struggled all day to find a compromise acceptable to all which could avert the threat of dangerous climate change, including floods, droughts, rising sea levels and species extinctions.
    Tensions remained between China and the United States, the world's two biggest emitters.
    "I hope China will come to support a treaty. They do not support a treaty at the moment. They do not support it for reasons that I think are the wrong reasons, clinging to their version of what they think an international organisation should not do," Brown said.
    The latest agreement still had to win formal approval from a full meeting of all 193 nations at the talks.
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