|
 Wearing "Polluters talk, we walk" T-shirts, the activists streamed
out of Warsaw's National Stadium, where rich and poor countries were
arguing over who should do what to fight global warming.
The two-week session in the Polish capital was never expected to
produce any big decisions or breakthroughs, but the protesters said
in a statement that the talks were "on track to deliver virtually
nothing."
Negotiations have been bogged down by disputes over financing to
help poor countries develop their economies in a cleaner way than
the West did and cope with rising sea levels, desertification and
other impacts of global warming.
Meanwhile, emerging economies including China and Brazil appeared to
resist a European push for setting a 2014 deadline for when
countries should put forth commitments for a new climate agreement,
which is supposed to be adopted a year later.
The level of progress is seen as a possible indicator of the world's
chances of reaching a deal in 2015. That's the new watershed year in
the U.N.-led process after a 2009 summit in Copenhagen ended in
discord.
"If we go with the spirit of the lack of urgency that we see in
these talks, we are headed for another disaster in Paris in 2015 and
we need to avert it at all cost," Greenpeace head Kumi Naidoo told
The Associated Press.
"We cannot afford to get it wrong again in 2015," he said.
Environmental groups from around the world attend the annual talks
as observers. They often stage colorful protests in the hallways to
urge negotiators to step up the pace. One group called the Climate
Action Network names a "fossil of the day" in a daily mock award
ceremony to shame countries they see as blocking the negotiations.
[to top of second column] |
In Warsaw, some activists joined Filipino delegate Naderev Sano's
fast during the conference in support of the victims of Typhoon
Haiyan. Sano said his delegation shared the protesters' "anger and
frustration" at the lack of "political will" at the negotiations.
Poland's Marcin Korolec, the president of the talks, said he didn't
share the climate activists' assessment of the negotiations.
"We have achieved considerable progress on climate finance," Korolec
said. "The talks about the shape of a new global agreement were also
held throughout the night. I am convinced that we are getting closer
and closer to a final success."
Some activists rejected the walkout.
"I share the anger of the NGOs that walked out and agree with the
spirit of what they have done," said Mohamed Adow, a senior climate
change adviser at Christian Aid. "But I am committed to this
process, which is not at fault, and want to be here to fight for
what can be achieved in these last hours and to hold the rich
countries to account."
The U.N. climate talks were launched in 1992 following scientific
warnings that humans were warming the planet by emissions of CO2 and
other greenhouse gases. The next round of the annual talks is set to
be held in Lima, Peru.
[Associated
Press; KARL RITTER and
MONIKA SCISLOWSKA]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
