Foot dragging’
Environment groups, too, had hoped that developed countries would come forward with stronger commitments on reducing emissions and on providing money to help poorer nations adapt to climate impacts.
Norway pledged to reduce its emissions by 40% from 1990 levels by 2020 – the strongest pledge by any country so far.
But campaigners accused others, notably the EU, of using the absence of a firm US commitment as an excuse for dragging their own feet.
Legislation mandating emission cuts has yet to pass through the US Senate, and may not go through before the Copenhagen talks.
“Other countries are using the US’s position as an opportunity to try and avoid stringent legally binding emissions cuts which they should implement at home,” said Meena Raman from Friends of the Earth Malaysia.
“So far it looks like the Copenhagen talks could deliver a toothless agreement based on vague pledges that cannot deliver the deep greenhouse cuts that science and justice demand of rich nations.”
Delegates convene again in Barcelona at the beginning of November for a further week of negotiations – the final round before the Copenhagen summit.
Mr de Boer noted that at the UN special session on climate change held in New York last month, heads of government had given a “clear mandate” to reach a firm climate deal this year.
But, he said, this needed to be translated into stronger ambitions within the detailed negotiations.
Tags: dragging'