Why the fuss over Copenhagen?
Updated on 22 September 2009
Alarmed about the glacial progress of the UN's climate change negotiations, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon tries to resuscitate them before December's key climate talks in Copenhagen. Tom Clarke reports.
It all boils down to how much poor countries are prepared to cut, and how much the wealthy countries are prepared to pay them for doing it.
It will be the first time such a large group will try to reach a common approach to global emissions and ways to protect the environment.
The conference is arranged by the United Nations but their climate change chief Yvo De Boer has conceded the event will not smooth out every minute detail of future policy.
However, he says the main four aims will be negotiating:
- a level by which the industrialised countries are willing to cut emissions
- the amount developing countries including India and China are willing to contribute
- how the limits on developing countries will be financed
- how the money will be managed
The climate treaty agreed in Copenhagen will replace the Kyoto protocol agreed in December 1997 and in force since February 2005.
The United States did not sign up to the Kyoto agreement but Mr De Boer hopes Barack Obama's delegation will be able to play a lead role by staying in touch with the Senate in Washington throughout the Copenhagen negotiations.
Sarah Smith is live in New York.
