Durban talks continue to push for legal treaty

Ambiguities in policy and commitments remained the main challenge to a new legally binding treaty in Durban.

India, China, South Africa and Brazil have all shown unclear signs on whether they will back the EU’s proposals, with many showing concern over the ambiguous global implications.

There was also concern expressed over commitment from the EU compared to developing countries, with recent studies showing that developing countries are pledging 30 per cent to 50 per cent more cuts than the rich.

The EU called upon India to take responsibility as a major economy, but the country's spokespeople responded by asking for more clarity on how the proposals would work. They were also the forerunners in criticising commitments in rich countries, stating that many have been allowed to take advantage of ‘accounting loopholes’.

Commenting in the Guardian, environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan said: "It is time that the developed countries stepped up to fulfil their part of the [legal] commitment under Kyoto. There is an ambition gap because Kyoto partners have not fulfilled their political obligations,"

Sivan Kartha and Peter Erikson of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) supported claims for more ‘stringent’ action from EU countries. They also highlighted the importance of China in forging a new deal, citing their involvement as being central to agreeing a second Kyoto period.

Posted by Joseph Hutton