Climate Change Conference: Dramatic day in Copenhagen

Differences continued during the fourth day of negotiations at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. But negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol had to be adjourned.

When discussions at the Climate Change Conference reached an item on the agenda proposing a series of additions to the Kyoto Protocol, consensus could not be reached. Following lively discussions next to the podium, Conference President Connie Hedegaard declared the meeting adjourned. Discussions on how to continue with the issue are now being held in a group together with the COP15 President. Owing to the collapse of the plenary discussions, other working groups were prevented from continuing their work.

“It is unfortunate that it is so difficult to leave these procedural issues behind. They take up so much precious time which should be spent discussing important policy issues" said EU Chief Negotiator Anders Turesson at today's press conference with the EU troika: Sweden, Spain and the European Commission.

The most controversial issue concerns discussions on the further development of the Kyoto Protocol. The developing countries want to establish a separate working group for these issues while the EU and other countries prefer discussions being conducted in already existing groups. The EU argues that more groups will lead to negotiations being divided into too many parallel paths, which makes it easier to lose focus.

Getting the USA onboard

Another issue discussed at the troika press conference was the possibility of getting the USA to join the Kyoto Protocol - a wish expressed by the developing countries in the G77 group.  Artur Runge-Metzger of the European Commission expressed scepticism towards this idea.

“An international process to draw up a new climate agreement bringing the USA back to the negotiating table is required. The Kyoto Protocol cannot be such a process."