ScienceRocks
Democrat all the way!
- Banned
- #1
UN talks nearing weak deal on climate
KARL RITTER, Associated Press, By KARL RITTER and MICHAEL CASEY, Associated Press | December 8, 2012 | Updated: December 8, 2012 4:02am
KARL RITTER, Associated Press, By KARL RITTER and MICHAEL CASEY, Associated Press | December 8, 2012 | Updated: December 8, 2012 4:02am
DOHA, Qatar (AP) Bleary-eyed negotiators from nearly 200 countries haggled through the night over new draft agreements on emissions cuts by rich countries and aid for poor as United Nations climate talks spilled into Saturday.
The two-week conference was set to finish Friday, but as so often in the annual U.N.-led talks, negotiators struggled to reach an agreement, especially on money matters.
After all-night wrangling, the latest drafts Saturday lacked the strong commitments on climate action and financing by rich countries that poor countries had hoped for. But they did include a text on "loss and damage," a relatively new concept which relates to damages from climate-related disasters.
Island nations under threat from rising sea levels have been pushing for some mechanism to help them cope with such natural catastrophes, but the United States has pushed back over concerns it might be held liable for the cleanup bill since it is the world's second-biggest emitter behind China.
A final agreement from the talks was expected Saturday.
Countries plan to adopt a new climate pact by 2015. The Doha conference focused on side issues such as extending an existing emissions treaty for rich countries and increasing financing to help poor countries deal with global warming.