Climate talks in a spin over African demands
African nations have put a cat among the pigeons at Copenhagen’s climate talks, after they suspended proceedings for a half-day, accusing rich countries of killing the Kyoto Protocol. Now they’re going back to parlay, but the tone has forever changed. Their protest held up the summit just four days before delegates aim to agree on a UN pact to combat global warming. The Africans say the only legally binding agreement is Kyoto, and things must start from there. The Danish hosts are seen to be trying to renege on the earlier pact, which committed developed nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5.2% below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. The Africans want assurances that the Kyoto agreements will be extended, because they say they have the most to lose when it comes to rising temperatures. But their position has raised temperatures far quicker than anyone expected. Read more: Reuters, BBC
