Green groups dissatisfied with Copenhagen climate change summit outcome

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US President Barack Obama are trying to put a positive outcome on the Copenhagen climate change summit, as a draft agreement brokered between five countries – namely Brazil, China, India, South Africa and the US – on Friday night.

Brown described the plan as a ‘vital first step’, while Obama called it ‘an unprecedented breakthrough’. However, both leaders admit that the draft is still lacking.

The Nation, a news agency, reported that the draft urges developed countries to implement emission reduction measures that they have pledged earlier, while developing nations are encouraged to set their own targets. However, it does not mention to cut global emissions in half by 2050.

Also included on the agreement was the US-European contribution of $100 billion to be offered yearly until 2020 assist poorer countries to combat climate change and the short-term funding of $30 billion for other related green programs, such as deforestation prevention. The draft though states nothing about future talks or actions to legally bind an international treaty on emission cuts.

The three-page document still needs approval from all 192 nations which participated in the Copenhagen summit. The next climate change conference is scheduled in December next year.

Several green groups are not pleased with the outcome of the Copenhagen meeting. Lumumba Di-Aping, a principal negotiator for the G77, had a scathing assessment of the event, saying that the deal contained the lowest level of commitment among leaders. Similarly, Lydia Baker of Save the Children stressed that at least 250,000 children in poor countries will likely die before next year’s climate change summit in Mexico. John Sauven, Executive Director of Greenpeace, meanwhile criticized the proceedings and the early exit of hundreds of country leaders.