'Danish Text' Draft Triggers Big Bang in Copenhagen

via Business Daily AfricaReactions to the leak of the first version of a final climate warming bill — the so-called “Danish text” — are varied.

The Guardian led off this morning, announcing the outline of the “Danish text”, saying that the talks are in disarray.

The agreement, leaked to the Guardian, is a departure from the Kyoto protocol’s principle that rich nations, which have emitted the bulk of the CO2, should take on firm and binding commitments to reduce greenhouse gases, while poorer nations were not compelled to act. The draft hands effective control of climate change finance to the World Bank; would abandon the Kyoto protocol – the only legally binding treaty that the world has on emissions reductions; and would make any money to help poor countries adapt to climate change dependent on them taking a range of actions. via The Guardian

The Guardian is correct in calling Kyoto the only legally-binding teaty that the world has on emissions reductions, but the US has never ratified it and doesn’t intend to do so. Read Copenhagen climate summit in disarray after ‘Danish text’ leak via The Guardian

Newsweek’s The Gaggle blog weighs in with an equally serious mood that’s not seriously at odds with the Guardian’s analysis.

The ‘Danish text’ definitely shifts the turf, so to speak, over to the developing countries and the World Bank, which is perceived correctly or not, as being more fiscally responsible than the UN. Under the plan, by 2050 poor countries would have to limit per capita emissions at 1.44 tons, while rich countries would be given extra leeway at 2.67 tons per person. via Newsweek

Drafters maintain that the proposal shouldn’t have been released. Poor countries are furious. Friends of the Earth released the following statement:

“The Obama administration’s role in what appears to be a secret plot to strong-arm through an agreement forcing poor countries to bear much of the cost of reducing emissions is despicable. President Obama cannot lead the world while wheeling and dealing from the back-room.  These are supposed to be negotiations about how to solve a problem, not about how to appease the United States government. 

The BBC News report is more moderate in not sounding any death knell and it does add to the above stories. Read Draft text divides climate summit. SPIEGELOnline (Germany) hasn’t posted yet in English.

The Times of India offers a view from the developing world Let’s not forget, we are climate victims; and China’s People’s Daily Online doesn’t yet cover the story. Here’s a look, though, at their section on Copenhagen: EU calls 30% emissions reduction target “lever” on others.