COPENHAGEN, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Days are numbered at Copenhagen, the clock is ticking, and the world is still waiting to be saved from the adverse effects of climate change. However, differences seem to outweigh consensus among developing and developed countries. And the Danish draft isn't helping.
During the morning discussions, without consulting the convening parties, the Danish presidency of the talks was hawking its draft texts, eliciting nothing but protests from representatives of the developing world.
"This is a party-driven process. You can't just put forward some texts from the sky ... it would very much endanger the successful outcome in Copenhagen," China's Chief Negotiator Su Wei said at the conference after an announcement by the Danish presidency on the draft texts.
Su is not alone, as his remarks are grounded in the support of Brazil, India, South Africa and other developing countries.
The world ought to recognize the commendable efforts on behalf of the host country for organizing the summit. Yet that doesn't give Denmark the right to enforce a final decision of so much gravity.
No one with common sense would interpret the Danish draft as a technical error or a layman's mistake.
For the talks to be successful, all nations should honor the integrity and transparency of the prearranged procedures to guarantee the interests of every party.
Actions by the host to erase current achievements or attempts to alter talk rules are extremely damaging.
Meanwhile, no matter what kind of conspiracies -- if any ¨C are being fabricated, no country has the right to circumvent the principle of "common but differentiated responsibility" inscribed in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
"It has been agreed that the only legitimate basis for discussion on the outcome of the Copenhagen talks will be the outcome of the work by the two major working groups of the conference," Su pointed out.
The issue of climate change haunts all nations. Every country, in every region, should be included in an effective approach to undo the wrongs of mankind, and talks under the UN framework offer the greatest hope of finding a solution.
The divergence on emissions reductions as well as funds and technology transfers among the developed nations and the developing world is well known, and no substantial results can be realized if the developed countries don't take the opinions and concerns of the developing nations seriously.
Skyscrapers collapse, roads are torn apart and shore lands flooded... these are apocalyptic scenes in the movie "2012." If the Copenhagen talks are allowed to fail, these scenes just may become real.
The only possible way for mankind to survive the scourge of climate change is for all parties, developed or developing, to adhere to the principles of the Bali Roadmap, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.
The world should join hands today so that future generations won't denounce the climate talks as worthless but instead regard them as turning over a new leaf in human history.
Developing nations stand firm on Kyoto
COPENHAGEN, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Developing countries on Wednesday warned against discarding the Kyoto Protocol and protested a Danish attempt to supersede it with a compromise text without consulting them.
Denmark is hosting the United Nations climate change talks. Full story
Group of 77 stresses need to keep two-track negotiation process
COPENHAGEN, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Group of 77 and China on Wednesday stressed again the need to retain the two-track negotiation mechanism, warning against any attempts to dismantle the Kyoto Protocol, which stipulated binding emissions cut targets for industrialized countries.
"We have seen that developed country parties to the Kyoto Protocol are seeking to dismantle the protocol itself," said NafieAli Nafie, head of the Sudanese delegation, who spoke on behalf ofG77 and China at the high level segment of the Copenhagen climate change conference. Full story
Africa not prepared to accept empty words in Copenhagen: Ethiopian PM
ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Africa is not prepared to accept empty words and agreements that undermine its fundamental interest, state media reported Wednesday, citing Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
"Africa loses more than most if there is no agreement on climate change," the official Ethiopian News Agency quoted Meles as saying at the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit. Full story
Special report: Global Climate Change
