In a commentary today by the state-run Xinhua news agency, China accuses rich countries of evading their obligation to fight climate change. The day of the scolding may not be coincidental.
Over the weekend, chief US climate change envoy, Todd Stern, arrives in Beijing for talks, and in Bonn delegates seek, at the moment, to foster consensus ahead of the key conference in Copenhagen in December.
"A small number of developed countries have been constantly seeking to shirk their responsibilities and are hoping to revise the basic principles of the negotiations... The climate change negotiations involve all the countries in the world, and there are complex clashes of interests and some conflicts are deep-seated," said the commentary, according to Reuters.
China and the United States are the world's top emitters of greenhouse gases and an agreement between them is crucial for a new pact. The United States is the only major developed country that has not joined the the Kyoto Protocol, in large part because the treaty did not set a limitation of future emissions growth by China and other big developing countries.
According to Reuters, the Xinhua commentary said proposals to define stricter requirements for China, India, Brazil and other big emerging emitters, than those for the rest of the developing bloc, flew in the face of basic principles agreed earlier.
Under "common but differentiated responsibility," developing countries must help fight climate change "but this does not mean emissions reduction promises or targets," said the commentary.
Over the weekend, chief US climate change envoy, Todd Stern, arrives in Beijing for talks, and in Bonn delegates seek, at the moment, to foster consensus ahead of the key conference in Copenhagen in December.
"A small number of developed countries have been constantly seeking to shirk their responsibilities and are hoping to revise the basic principles of the negotiations... The climate change negotiations involve all the countries in the world, and there are complex clashes of interests and some conflicts are deep-seated," said the commentary, according to Reuters.
China and the United States are the world's top emitters of greenhouse gases and an agreement between them is crucial for a new pact. The United States is the only major developed country that has not joined the the Kyoto Protocol, in large part because the treaty did not set a limitation of future emissions growth by China and other big developing countries.
According to Reuters, the Xinhua commentary said proposals to define stricter requirements for China, India, Brazil and other big emerging emitters, than those for the rest of the developing bloc, flew in the face of basic principles agreed earlier.
Under "common but differentiated responsibility," developing countries must help fight climate change "but this does not mean emissions reduction promises or targets," said the commentary.
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