Climate, Chinese frost holds back agreement

The extent, and kind of commitment the world will make in order to save the planet will be decided either today or tomorrow. Presidents and prime ministers are going to meet in Copenhagen to fill, with contents and, above all, figures, a draft agreement that has been cut into by a crossfire of vetoes and by contrasting interests, which still has not been reached 48 hours before the scheduled end of the UN summit on global warming.

Several demonstrations and clashes occurred near the Bella Centre yesterday; truncheons and tear gas were used by the police, and over 250 people, including three Italians, were detained. Today, there was the expected repeat before the parade by the world leaders. Meanwhile, during the night, work continued on the draft agreement to present to the heads of state and of government; the Danish presidency is desperately trying to simplify and to reduce the text (about 60 pages), fully aware that many people are already talking about a historic failure.

China told participants in the Copenhagen summit that they see no chance of reaching an operational agreement on the climate, this week. This was reported by an official participating in the talks, who said that China would alternatively make “a short political declaration of some kind”.