Africa look set to reject Copenhagen

Africa Role in Copenhagen

Even before the first seat was taken at this month's UN conference on climate change in Copenhagen world leaders were expressing concern over whether a comprehensive global deal could actually be reached.

And since the summit kicked off last Monday this goal has seemed even less likely as some experts and analysts insist that rejecting proposals set by richer nations will be vital to preventing the world's poorer countries "sliding downhill into the rubble".

"Proposals at the UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference that stop forest conversion will keep the world's poor trapped in poverty," said Time Wilson, Director of the Climate and Trade Unit at the Institute of Public Affairs.

These comments follow the release of the special Copenhagen report entitled "Palming off Livelihoods".

Anti-palm oil campaigns

The report analyzes anti-palm oil campaigns and finds that poverty and the desire of Asia's poor for a sustainable livelihood is the root cause of deforestation. The report was released to show the potential impact that bad climate change policies will have on poverty.

"Stopping deforestation is important to reduce global carbon emissions. But the evidence is clear that if you want to reduce environmental degradation the best option is poverty reduction by providing people the opportunity for a sustainable livelihood, especially in poor rural communities," Wilson said.

It appeared this showdown between rich and poor finally came to a head over the weekend as the poorer, led by Africa, threatened to walk out if progress failed to take the path they wanted.

Sideline talks on emission cuts

And today, reports from Copenhagen indicated the negotiations at the UN climate summit have been suspended after developing countries withdrew their co-operation.

Delegations were angry at what they saw as moves by the Danish host government to sideline talks on more emission cuts under the Kyoto Protocol. The countries that have suspended co-operation are those which make up the G77-China bloc of 130 nations. These range from wealthy countries such as South Korea, to some of the poorest states in the world, as told by the BBC.

The EU and other developed nations are keen to move away from the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and sign a brand new agreement, but developing countries fear they would lose many of the gains they made the deal was signed.

Time is running out

African nations argue that the Kyoto Protocol is the only international legally binding instrument that has curbed carbon emissions, and also that it contains functioning mechanisms for bringing development benefits to poor countries such as money for investment in clean energy projects.

Time is running out at COP15, and even at this stage it is looking unlikely that a deal will be struck.

Many believe that the year 2020 is the point of no return for our warming climate, and for us to get anywhere close to achieving the carbon cutting targets needed cooperation between rich and poor will be vital. Hopefully we will have a clearer picture of where we stand by the end of the conference.

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