Brussels, 10/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 10 December, the date on which the global climate conference was to close, goodwill was in abundance in Cancún, but the future of the Kyoto Protocol is still uncertain. Unless a miracle occurs, therefore, it appeared likely that the best-case scenario would be for COP 16 to reach an agreement a minima, although the final hours of negotiation have managed to re-establish the vital climate of trust between the rich countries in developing countries.
Japan, Russia and Canada were still refusing to countenance a second commitment period under the Kyoto protocol, unless China and India make binding commitments. And, as in Copenhagen one year earlier, the EU was accused by the developing countries of hammering nails into the coffin of the only legally binding international instrument to fight global warming.
“It is absurd and unfair that the EU has been accused of killing the Kyoto protocol. Quite the contrary, the EU has never stopped fighting to keep it alive and is continuing to do so. At the same time, we are working to guarantee that the United States and the major economies take binding commitments, because they represent a very substantial proportion of global emissions,” said Connie Hedegaard on the evening of Thursday 9 December. Echoing this, Todd Stern, the special envoy of the United States for climate change, said that his country wanted the negotiations to succeed. "Now is the time for us to take the next step" in international efforts to fight climate change. “We can and must do this through a balanced package of decisions that builds on the understandings our leaders reached in Copenhagen and makes meaningful, comparable progress on the key elements of our negotiations,” he said, referring to the establishment of a Green Fund. In a press statement, he added: “I want to assure you of the firm commitment of President Obama and the United States to working with all countries towards a solution to climate change, and towards a successful outcome this week here in Cancun.” (A.N./transl.fl)