The ability of the Copenhagen climate change summit to deliver a binding agreement is in jeopardy, after a shocking walkout by the developing nations overnight.
The protest comes as prime minister Kevin Rudd prepares to attend the summit, saying time is running out for delegates to reach an agreement on what should be done to tackle climate change.
A walk-out was staged by delegates from poor nations after wealthier nations refused to sign an extension of the Kyoto Protocol, which would force them to cut more emissions than the developing world.
Many delegates, including Algerian envoy Kamel Djemouai, said rich nations were working to take any trace of the Kyoto Protocol out of a new binding agreement.
Additionally, members of the G77 group of developing nations were also upset with the lack of a commitment from rich nations to give financial assistance in order to help cut emissions. The dispute is causing outbreaks from delegates and is preventing many discussions groups from locking down an agreement.
Developing nations also want a second agreement that would cover every nation including the US, China and India.
“It has become clear that the Danish Presidency, in the most undemocratic fashion, is advancing the interests of the developed countries, at the expense of their balance of the obligations between developing and developed countries,” said Lumumba Di-Aping, the chief negotiator for the G77.
“We have to face one reality – there is an ever widening gap between developed countries and developing countries… And the reason why that gap is widening is because developed countries have accepted that condemning Africa, condemning small island states, condemning small countries to destruction and massive suffering is something acceptable to them.”
However, Maldives president Nasheed Mohamed was able to broker a truce between nations and allow talks to continue. Topics discussed included the targets needed to reduce the impact of global warming and the issues of trade.
Australian climate change minister Penny Wong said the dispute was a “walk out over process and form, not a walk out over substance”.
“What we need to focus on is an agreement on the environmental outcome the world needs, and an extension only of the Kyoto Protocol is not going to achieve the environmental outcome the world needs.”
Speculation is growing that if an agreement is not made soon then a number of nations will exit the summit. A number of developed nations have stated they will no longer attend talks if rich nations do not attempt to create an agreement that does not offer financial assistance to poorer countries.
But Chinese delegates have indicated their intention to keep talks going, droppings its call for developing nations to fund a new agreement.
Talks are set to continue over this week.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
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