Copenhagen Climate Talks SUSPENDED, In Chaos, As Countries Walk Out Of The Conference (UPDATED)

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The UN international climate change conference is in chaos as the G77, which represents 130 developing countries "pulled the emergency plug" suspending the talks over wealthy countries' reluctance to discuss a legally binding emissions treaty.

Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director of Oxfam put out this statement:

Africa has pulled the emergency cord to avoid a train crash at the end of the week. Poor countries want to see an outcome which guarantees sharp emissions reductions yet rich countries are trying to delay discussions on the only mechanism we have to deliver this - the Kyoto Protocol.

This not about blocking the talks - it is about whether rich countries are ready to guarantee action on climate change and the survival or people in Africa and across the world.

"Australia and Japan are crying foul while blocking movement on legally binding emissions reductions for rich countries. This tit for tat approach is no way to deal with the climate crisis."

African countries have refused to continue negotiations unless talks on a second commitment period to the Kyoto Protocol are prioritized ahead of broader discussions under a second LCA track. Australia, Japan and others have succeeded in stopping Kyoto Protocol discussions as a result. Of the two tracks of negotiations underway in Copenhagen the Kyoto Protocol is the only one which includes a mechanism for legally binding emissions reductions by rich countries.

UPDATE: 7:07 AM EST:

The Australian news site, News.com.au reports more on the walkout:

The G77, a group which represents 130 developing countries, walked out because it is concerned the existing Kyoto protocol will be abandoned.

Australia's Climate Change Minister Penny Wong confirmed that organisers were trying to fix the problem and coax back the developing world.

Many countries at the UN climate summit want a brand new treaty to tackle climate change, but the developing world wants the Kyoto protocol to continue as well.

UPDATE: 11:51 EST

Reuters reports that Africa has returned to the discussions after a half day suspension.

"We're going back," Pa Ousman Jarju from the delegation of Gambia, told Reuters after a meeting of the African group.

The protest held up a session due to start at 1030 GMT, just four days before a summit of 110 leaders aims to agree a U.N. pact to combat global warming that could bring more heatwaves, floods and rising sea levels.

He said that the Danish hosts gave assurances that there would be more focus on African nations' demands for an extension of the Kyoto Protocol, the existing pact for curbing emissions of greenhouse gases.

Read more from Reuters here.

There has been limited information coming out of the conference about the flap, and what it means for negotiations going into the final days of the conference.

Check back for more breaking updates on this story.

Comments

[mp3sevdam]

09:00 AM on 12/16/2009

How in god’s name are much poorer nations going to be able to accomplish this.
It’s a death sentence for thousands in those countries...
http://sbs2010.turkceblog.com

[Igor Derysh]

05:24 PM on 12/15/2009

The Examiner: Does Cold Weather Disprove Global Warming? No, says Common Sense. http://www.examiner.com/x-558-Congress-Examiner~y2009m12d15-Does-cold-weather-disprove-global-warming-No-says-common-sense

[Patrick McCarthy]

01:34 AM on 12/15/2009

China?? Poor? Developing? Give me a break! China is the #1 emitter of greenhouse gases so how can they dare to pretend that they are due anything when it comes to environmental legislation? Inequitable distribution of wealth is an entirely seperate issue, and one that is as rampant in the U.S. as it is in China. Africa I can understand, but China? This is terribly disheartening to see that nations are simply using the COP conference as a vehicle to press their own outdated agendas. When the **it hits the fan, which it will very soon, people are going to be more concerned with the distribution of firearms and fresh water than they will be about 'wealth'

[HSC55]

06:48 AM on 12/15/2009

The usa is the # one emitter if you are talking about tons of carbon per year per person. What measurement are you using for your claim against China?

[Karin Kloosterman]

01:17 AM on 12/15/2009

Not surprising. Show me any government that's not in chaos. Maybe except for Switzerland...
So putting all these very different governments together, chaos is to be expected. Sounds like a zoo over there anyway. How many reporters? 5,000? That's just craziness.

Here's an interesting perspective from an Arab reporter on the ground. OPEC reps wouldn't even talk to him:

http://www.greenprophet.com/2009/12/13/14406/opec-copenhagen/

[Angie Cordeiro]

09:53 AM on 12/15/2009

Thanks for the link, good reading.

[was3]

10:28 PM on 12/14/2009

Let's have the third word generate electricy for use by peddling a generator for us. Then lets make air plane in jets pay property owners to use air space above property. Publicly own land people get paid money or credits. Government owned property can recieve money or credits also, and anytime you fly over any ocean separting a country the money can go to a world operated clean up crew for mother earth. Let's be responsible for our won mess and clean up and cut or losses.

[DIAGUY]

10:10 PM on 12/14/2009

I can picture it now:

Angry delegates upset that their extortion plan didn't go as well as they hoped. They run to their limos and race off to their private jets and take off into the wild blue yonder, taking out a flock of rare and endangered hawks, Oh well maybe they'll have better luck on their next vacation in Denmark.

[PENNSWORD]

07:53 PM on 12/14/2009

too bad they came back - wasting even more taxpayer time and money

[PoliticiansRspineless]

07:31 PM on 12/14/2009

This is bogus concerning the African nations concerns...they want the $$$ they will not help their people or the environment.

[ThermoChemist]

05:49 PM on 12/14/2009

Don't these GCC Deniers love America?

The Pentagon sees GCC as a REAL THREAT to National Security.! They are NOT taking another decade (or two) to study the matter.

Pentagon, CIA Eye New Threat: Climate Change
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121352495&ft=1&f=1004

"The Pentagon is concluding that “global warming is NOW OFFICIALLY considered A THREAT to U.S. national security.” In its upcoming 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, Pentagon planners will report that climate change could result in food and water scarcity, pandemics, population displacement, and other destabilizing events that could create conflict.

“The American people expect the military to plan for the worst,” says retired Vice Adm. Lee Gunn, a 35-year Navy veteran now serving as president of the American Security Project. “It’s that sort of mindset, I think, that has convinced, in my view, the vast majority of military leaders that climate change is a REAL THREAT and that the military plays an important role in confronting it.”

[JoeTheProgrammer]

06:16 PM on 12/15/2009

So somehow you get from this that we should give our money to the UN?

[intothedeepbluesea]

05:43 PM on 12/14/2009

Typical whining babies, don't get their way and storm out of the room.

I would like to point out that the largest immediate Contribution to the Environment We could make, is to STOP funneling Money to China and India, and Stop Feeding the Darfur and other UN-Sustainable Areas. Population Increase and Modernization is Environmentally UN-Friendly ! ! ! Furthermore We have no moral obligation to prop up others standards of living. History has proven that propping up Others standards of living, only reduces Ours, and puts the U.S. that much closer to crumbling IntoTheDeepBlueSea !

As for Emissions and Global Warming, let Us assume (just for the sake of conversation) that emissions have nothing to do with global warming, We still need to worry about the emissions for many reasons including the fact that exposure to such greatly increases ones likelyhood of contracting cancer, causes asthma (deadly to many who contract it), and a myriad of other problems. One of the ways that people commit suicide is to park their car in the garage leaving it running, and just breathe ! If things continue to progress in the direction they have been, the only creatures that might survive, are those in the ocean who have been able to dodge the vast fishing nets that have been cast IntoTheDeepBlueSea ! ! !

[TheAlchemist]

05:39 PM on 12/14/2009

Global Warming is a trend that scientists have known about for >30 years. It's only amplified since then.

At the time we thought it was due to Amazon deforestation. We now see the contribution that petroleum makse as well.

We can't afford to sit on our hands.

Use ATP as an energy source. Make Compost. Plant some trees. Urge businesses to do the same.

We've got to stop behaving like humans are the only species that matters.

[Melinda Gopher]

05:24 PM on 12/14/2009

Katrina is a distant memory, it is unfortunate the leaders of the wealthy, industrialized nations have already forgotten.

[graffitijoe]

06:09 PM on 12/14/2009

I guess because Gore and others said hurricanes would get worse and worse every year as global warming gets worse - and then it didn't happen that way.

Also, people can look back and see huge disasterous hurricancanes come along sometimes - and in fact some of the strongest hurricanes took place many decades ago. Presumably, if the greenhouse gases were causing stronger and stronger hurricanes - they should all be in the latest decade, no?


http://www.epicdisasters.com/index.php/site/comments/the_ten_strongest_hurricanes/

[Political Conservative]

07:14 PM on 12/14/2009

Katrina is a natural disaster. Are you implying that it was created by man-made CO2? Show us the science that supports your accusation.

[VikingQuest]

07:48 PM on 12/14/2009

Wow, how dare you question the science of Katrina . . . LOL

It's kind of odd that the people supporting a deal in Copenhagen . . . are carrying around hammer & sickle flags:

http://www.youtube.com/v/FN401-BFXOw&hl=en_US&fs=1&

[adkblue]

02:42 AM on 12/15/2009

Are you being sarcastic? If not....Have you taken earth science? A link to NOAA info on the issue - or are do you not trust government-funded science in general?

http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/global-warming-and-hurricanes

[CP18]

04:40 PM on 12/14/2009

Buy into the Vail Beach Resort today and enjoy the Pacific Coast tomorrow.

[emmacop]

05:25 PM on 12/14/2009

I thought it hilarious today that Reuters now uses a standard Ethiopian for a CO2 reference unit.

For the curious, one "good" Ethiopian equals .07 tons of C02 annually, assuming he/she or their flock doesn't fart often.

One American is the "bad" reference. One American is equal to about 285 Ethiopians if I've done my conversions right. Unless of course you drive a Prius with an Obama sticker. Then you should feel good about yourself.

Welcome to to the New Liberal Nirvana:

Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, accounting for almost half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the IMF forgave Ethiopia's debt. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans.

[JoeTheProgrammer]

06:19 PM on 12/15/2009

I'll trade you my next weeks Ethiopian's for a weeks worth of yours so I can take my vacation in May.

[cyberfringe]

04:26 PM on 12/14/2009

Kyoto treaty is dead. G77 like it because it exempts them from many obligations. Sorry guys, there us no free lunch. The situation has changed. They must come back to the table because developing nations have the most to lose from climate change.

[lunarsnare]

04:22 PM on 12/14/2009

Part of the goal of the climate propaganda and hysterics is to deprive 3rd world and developing nations the use of THEIR oil and other natural resources just so that we can have more and be in control of it.
And to tax the every day person just for using it as if we had another alternative and need to be punished for OUR bad choices.
It’s the very politician who have gotten fat of the oil and gas lobby ( including Al Gore) now trying to punish us for their choices.
The Climate hoopla is created in part to make us feel better whilst taking up the rear.
They need to come up with a better lie or at least a better science.

If we with our far advanced technology compared to them cannot run hospitals on solar and wind today.
Or purchase reasonably prices cars with alternate energy sources.
How in god’s name are much poorer nations going to be able to accomplish this.
It’s a death sentence for thousands in those countries.