10 days before the start of the Copenhagen climate negotiations
the outcome seems slightly more open than a few weeks ago. · The
scientific community has just in time presented new evidence
about the extremely risky acceleration of climate change,
thereby putting negotiators under heavy pressure to come to
substantive agreement now, rather than accepting further delays.
· The international community seems finally understand somewhat
better the high stakes of what will be decided in Copenhagen.
Some 60 countries will therefore be represented at the level of
heads of government. Visibly no government wants to appear as
the “spoiler”. · That is why most developed countries have
announced emission reduction targets for 2020 ahead of the
Conference. But most of these appear too positive as they are
based on 2005 rather than on 1990, the Kyoto-agreed reference
year. These developments are unfortunately no guarantee for a
successful outcome. Far from it! The developed countries`
reduction targets remain very far bel