Success ... Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's, centre, is applauded at the climate talks.
Photo: Reuters
Marian Wilkinson, Bali
December 16, 2007
AFTER a drama-filled day and a backdown by the US, 190 nations last night set a 2009 deadline for a landmark pact to fight global warming.
Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar banged down his gavel on the deal to rapturous applause, sealing what is expected to become known as the Bali Road Map.
The agreement includes all nations and launches a process to negotiate a new treaty that will take effect when the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
Australia's delegate to the talks, Minister for Climate Change Penny Wong, emerged to say it was an agreement that "gives us momentum, gives us a plan to move forward. It is an agreement that will enable this globe to tackle climate change".
During an impassioned afternoon, senior US negotiator Paula Dobriansky was booed from the floor for refusing to accept the final draft worked out with Europe, China and India. An hour later the US delegation backed down and promise it would come to a consensus.
The late afternoon stand-off forced UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to personally plead to ministers not to let the talks collapse.
"No delegation can get everything it wants," Mr Ban said, adding he was disappointed with the progress in clinching the final deal.
"Seize this moment for the good of all humanity," he said.
Dr Yudhoyono said: "We must produce a Bali road map to guide us. We cannot fail. We must not fail."
The Bali declaration was supposed to be signed on Friday to serve as the road map to launch the negotiations for a new global climate agreement to be signed in 2009. The final deal proved elusive when China and other developing countries claimed the US was evading its responsibilities, while trying to pressure poorer countries to commit to cutting their emissions.
The European Union swung its support behind China and Pakistan in their efforts to pressure rich countries to tie funding for clean technology and aid to any cuts they would be willing to make to their greenhouse gas emissions.
China and Pakistan also wanted a watered-down deal on any commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, insisting the Bali deal did not put any significant pressure on the US to make big cuts to its emissions.
US forced to concede on climate agreement (click here)
Marian Wilkinson, Bali
December 16, 2007
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ABOUT 190 nations at the UN climate talks in Bali agreed last night to launch negotiations on a new global warming pact to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, which would include outsiders led by the US.
Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar, the host of the talks, banged down his gavel on the deal to rapturous applause, sealing a compromise between rich and poor countries, which had clashed over climate policies at the two-week talks.
Just hours earlier angry disagreements broke out between nations. The US representative, Secretary-General Paula Dobriansky, was booed from the floor for refusing to accept the final draft worked out with Europe, China and India.
An hour later the US delegation was forced to back down and promise they would come to a consensus, opening the way for the Bali road map to be signed.
The late afternoon stand-off forced the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to personally plead to ministers not to let the talks collapse.
"No delegation can get everything it wants," Mr Ban said, adding he was disappointed with their progress in clinching the final deal.
"Seize this moment for the good of all humanity".
Dr Yudhoyono said: "We must produce a Bali road map to guide us. We cannot fail. We must not fail."
The Bali declaration was supposed to be signed on Friday to serve as the "road map" to launch the negotiations for a new global climate agreement to be signed in 2009.
The final deal proved elusive when China and other developing countries claimed the US was evading its responsibilities while trying to pressure poorer countries to make commitments about cuts to their emissions.
The Europeans swung their support behind China and Pakistan in backing their efforts to put pressure on rich countries to tie funding for clean technology and aid for any cuts they would be willing to make in their greenhouse gas emissions.
They also wanted a watered-down deal on any commitments to cut their gases, insisting the Bali deal did not put any significant pressure on the US to examine deep cuts to their emissions.
