UN chief sounds a cautious note on talks 13.12.2009
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http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/article232000.ece
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said yesterday upon arrival in Copenhagen that he was "cautiously optimistic" on the outcome of UN climate talks.
"We have to wait until the end of the conference to see how serious a message COP15 is going to send," he said.
Ban said that the first week of the 12-day conference, which ends on Friday with a summit gathering of about 120 world leaders, "was a good start'". The fact that "ministers and heads of state are gathering is a good indication that some important messages would be sent to everybody", he said.
The pledges on emissions cuts so far are short of the minimum proposed in a draft agreement.
At the talks, the European Union, Japan and Australia joined the US on Saturday in criticising the draft global warming pact that says major developing nations must rein in greenhouse gases, but only if they have outside financing. Rich nations want to require developing nations to limit emissions, with or without financial help.
Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said his country - the world's No5 greenhouse gas polluter - will not offer more than its current pledge to slow its growth rate of emissions. It has offered cuts measured against production by 20% to 25% by 2020.
China has made voluntary commitments to rein in its carbon emissions but doesn't want to be bound by international law to do so.
In Copenhagen, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel peace laureate, and fellow South African, Greenpeace leader Kumi Naidoo were among those ratcheting up the pressure for a fair, ambitious and binding treaty.
Naidoo exhorted politicians to act bravely by crafting a fair, ambitious and binding treaty, so they can later "look their children and grandchildren in the eyes" and tell them they did the right thing.
Danish police yesterday released hundreds of activists detained during a demonstration on Saturday.
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