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Accord reached in Bali climate change talks
Published on Sun, Dec 16, 2007 at 09:30, Updated on Sun, Dec 16, 2007 at 13:01 in World section
Tags: Bali Agreement, Papua New Guinea
BALI HIGH: The meeting's final statement lays out a plan to replace the expiring Kyoto pact.
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Bali Delegates from 190 countries at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali have finally settled on an agreement, during an extra day of talks.
A group led by India and China achieved huge success as the rich countries agreed to fund and support transfer of clean technologies to developing countries.
The meeting's final statement lays out a plan to replace the expiring Kyoto pact. But it required some compromise, and came after several dramatic negotiations.
The Chinese delegate’s blunt request – “I would like to ask for apologies from the secretariat” – sparked off much drama in Bali for the Chinese accused the UN climate change chief Yvo de Boer of not running the talks properly, with two meetings carrying on simultaneously.
But over with exhaustion and emotion, he left in tears.
The tensions continued to rise when the US delegation was booed nearly unanimously.
Delegate Paula Dobriansky said, “I have to say the formulation that has been put forward, we cannot accept.”
The US was jeered and booed as it asked for more commitments from developing countries, provoking Papua New Guinea to retort.
Said Kevin Conrad from the PNG delegation, “We seek your leadership, but if for some reason you are not willing to lead, leave it to the rest of us – please get out of the way."
This withering criticism brought about a volte face on part of the US, who suddenly capitulated and declared, "We will go forward and join consensus in this today."
The deal marks the beginning of two more years of talks – with a firm commitment for a global deal on emissions by 2009 at the latest.
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