Countries reach non-binding deal at global climate change talks

(ATTN: ADDS: lukewarm response at bottom)
By Lee Joon-seung
COPENHAGEN, Dec. 19 (Yonhap) -- Government leaders at the United Nations Climate
Change Conference in Copenhagen have reached a non-binding deal that can
facilitate cuts in greenhouse gases cited for global warming, sources said
Saturday.
The "loose" understanding forged in last minute negotiations calls on both
developed and developing countries to strive for meaningful reductions in
greenhouse emissions after the current Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
Signed in 1997, the Kyoto accord calls on all developed countries in the Annex 1
category to reduce greenhouse gases by an average of 5.2 percent compared to 1990
levels and urges developing economies to take voluntary measures that can stem
global warming.
Without setting specific emission reduction targets, representatives at the
Copenhagen talks concurred on the need to limit global temperatures from rising
more than 2 degrees Celsius and to take active steps to preserve forests that can
absorb greenhouse gases.
Preventing such a rise in global temperatures effectively calls for an over 50
percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 from 1990 levels.
The deal, tentatively called the Copenhagen Accord, also states that countries
will try to reach a legally binding, full-fledged agreement that can push for
further cuts in emission levels when the climate change conference meets in
Mexico City next year.
Advanced economies, led by the United States, Japan and the European Union, added
that they will provide new and additional resources amounting to US$30 billion
between 2010-2012 to immediately help poor countries cope with the fallout from
climate change, while setting up a $100 billion aid fund by 2020.
The fund, which does not meet the total that developing countries say they will
need to effectively combat climate change, is expected to come from a wide
variety of public and private sources.
The United States said that it will inject $3.6 billion by 2012, with Japan and
the European Union providing $11 billion and $10.6 billion, respectively, over
the next three years.
Other agreements reached call on the United States, China, India, South Africa
and Brazil to announce a substantial and binding greenhouse gas emission road map
by the end of 2010, with both developed and developing countries requested to
outline future reduction plans by January, although no penalties were set for non
compliance.
South Korean representatives to the talks in the Danish capital said that while
the deal does not fully meet expectations it was better than no understanding at
all.
"The accord can keep alive the forward momentum to push countries to cut emission
levels," said Jung Yong-hun, a researcher from the state-run Korea Energy
Economics Institute.
He stressed that the deal is important because of emerging signs that the climate
change talks would stall like the World Trade Organization's Doha Developed
Agenda negotiations.
The expert said that looking forward, the important thing will be to transform
the tentative deal into a solid legally binding arrangement.
Other government officials said that the "standoff" between the United States and
China that obstructed progress throughout the two-week-long talks, which began on
Dec. 7, could still cause complications.
Washington said it will accept voluntary reduction plans to cut greenhouse gases
but emphasized such moves must be verified through internationally established
rules.
Unwillingness by countries like China to allow outside inspection of compliance
to such rules has been a major factor behind the lack of progress in the two-week
talks.
The two countries account for roughly 40 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.
South Korea, meanwhile, is expected to remain a non-Annex 1 country that is not
obligated to make binding cuts in greenhouse gases under the Kyoto protocol
regime.
The government, however, already announced last month a move to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions by 30 percent from the business as usual (BAU) level by 2020
compared to 2005. This translates into a cut of around 4 percent if there are no
sudden fluctuations in economic growth or global energy prices.
The non-binding deal got mixed reactions. Several developing nations,
particularly in South America, rejected the accord mainly worked out by the U.S.
and major emerging economies, saying it was too lax to fight global warming and
was unfairly drawn behind closed doors.
Before leaving Copenhagen, U.S. President Barack Obama said of the deal, "We've
come a long way but we have much further to go."
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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