United Nations climate talks - Developing countries have redoubled their efforts to find agreement in time for the annual UN climate summit (CoP 17) due to be held in Durban, South Africa, next month, according to the Chair of the Group of 77 and China (G77), Jorge Arguello.

'We want to stop hearing about red lines and start hearing about what the developed world are prepared to do,' Arguello said in a statement made available to PANA here Tuesday from the ongoing preparatory meeting of the summit in Panama City.

'Climate change is not the kind of problem you can just wish away. The US and others have to stop explaining why they won't take action and face the consequences of what their inaction entails,' Argüello said.

Countries of the G77 and China are working extra hard to find ways that will allow the process to arrive in Durban with a concrete and workable text on the table.

According to the statement issued by the Office of the Chair of the G77 and China, the negotiations under both tracks, the convention and the Kyoto Protocol, continued Monday with a visit by South Africa’s Foreign Minister, Ms. Nkoana-Mashabane, who is the incoming president of CoP17.

'I am glad to see the European Union being described as the champion of the Kyoto Protocol in the press, and their message in the opening of this meeting as well as informally has had positive points. They have repeated that they are interested and ready in continuing the Kyoto Protocol and its binding commitments. The time has come now to put words to action,' Argüello said.

In an informal conversation with civil society representatives, the Chair of G77 and China said, 'Let us stop the nonsense and say things as they are: the Kyoto Protocol has been ratified by all countries, developed and developing, it is a global instrument, with differentiated responsibilities for developing and developed countries but with responsibilities for both.

'The only countries outside of Kyoto are those, like the US, who have put their national economic interests first and chosen to benefit off the commercial advantages of this move against those of us who have chosen to be part of the global fight against global warming.

'It is hard to see that the freeloaders of the Kyoto Protocol, who have benefitted without paying any prices, are still not ready to make any binding commitment.

'We are working very seriously, both internally among the developing countries and in contact with all the major players, we cannot just give up. We cannot speak of having a global agreement by just photocopying the status quo and calling it a framework. Action, urgent and concrete action, is what we need. And this will demand sacrifices.'

He said Durban would be a success “only if we are ready to extend the Kyoto Protocol on to a second commitment period', adding: 'This is our goal, this is our commitment. We will think out of the box to find an agreement, but always keeping in mind that we must each assume our responsibilities, which are shared but which are not all the same.'

Pana 05/10/2011