Earth Equity News

U.N. Talks in Bangkok End with Stalemate Between Rich and Poor Countries and Diminished Hopes for Copenhagen. By Michael Casey, AP, October 9, 2009. "U.N. climate talks ended in a whimper Friday without progress on the pressing issues of emission cuts for wealthy nations or financing for the developing ones, both of which are crucial to reaching a global warming pact. Negotiations have been deadlocked for months and delegates have raised doubts whether a new climate pact to rein in greenhouse gases can be reached by the time world leaders gather in Copenhagen in December... Rather than addressing the tough issues, U.N. climate chief Yvo de Boer said late Thursday that the failure by rich countries to agree on ambitious emission cuts and billions of dollars in financing to help poor countries adapt to climate change has increased the distrust between the two sides... Even before the talks ended Friday, environmentalists including the World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace were already criticizing the United States, the European Union, Australia and Canada for failing to deliver on the key pieces required for any new climate pact... Oxfam senior climate adviser Antonio Hill said a continued lack of 'political will from rich country leaders' meant there was no movement on the emissions reduction targets that could help safeguard the world's poorest people."