FSRN Protests at Durban Climate Summit as China Agrees to BInding Targets
Channel: Reddebrek
Date: 06/12/2011

For the first time, China has announced it's willing to join a legally-binding agreement to cut greenhouse gas pollution. The move could change the course of climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa. This is Xie Xhenua, vice-chair of China's national development and reform commission, speaking through an interpreter. "We accept a legally-binding arrangement, with a pre-condition." China's conditions would require developed nations to extend their binding commitments to cut pollution under the Kyoto Protocol, and to make good on promises to give poor nations financing and technology to help cut their own pollution. And China's not willing to join such an agreement right away -- Xie suggested a date of 2020. But it's still a huge step forward for the county, which recently surpassed the United States as the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. US negotiators said they'd not yet met with China to discuss its new position. US Climate Envoy Todd Stern. "In order for there to be a legally binding agreement that makes sense, all the major players are going o have to be in with obligations, with commitments that have the same legal force. It doesn't mean that they have to be the same thing, but that they have to apply with the same legal effect to all parties. And that means that there's no conditionality, they're not conditional on receiving technology or financing." The next four days will show whether the U.S. is willing to loosen its position and move the talks forward. The announcement comes after a weekend of protest in the streets of Durban over the climate talks. Brian Edwards-Tiekert files this report.

People from around the world participated in the December 3, 2011 Climate March in Durban, South Africa, including indigenous folks from South America -- completely stoic during the dancing and singing.

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