Negotiators aim for political breakthrough at Copenhagen

The biggest obstacle to achieving an agreement at the Copenhagen climate summit will be disagreements over emission reduction commitments and financing, says the EU’s chief negotiator Artur Runge-Metzger. The United States, for example, wants to see its domestic legislation accepted at international level, while opposing any push to make the Kyoto protocol’s principles underpin a new legally binding climate deal. There also remains disagreement over whether new institutions and a new fund for climate financing are required. It is likely that climate negotiators at Copenhagen will agree to a political rather than legally binding agreement on climate change policy in December.

China has already announced that it will reduce by 40 to 45% its “carbon intensity” (polluting emissions per unit of GDP) by 2020, compared to 2005. The US has stated an emission reduction of 17% by 2020 (a drop of about 3% below 1990 levels), and 42% by 2030, compared to 2005. Nonetheless, India has yet to issue a clear statement on its reduction targets.