Doha climate talks to end with weak commitment by rich nations

 DOHA, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations climate talks in Doha entered the final stage Saturday with drafts of the low- ambitious second period of Kyoto Protocol¹ and weak commitment on climate finance after overnight negotiations² on differences between developed and developing countries.

The closing of two-week meeting in the Qatari capital was delayed for almost a whole day as diplomats³ from more than 190 countries were pressing for any small progress after the draft conclusion was not presented until Saturday morning.

One of the little progress of the talks is the Kyoto Protocol's extension by another eight years from Jan. 1, 2013, through 2020 as its first commitment period expires in the end of this year, according to the draft conclusion.

The treaty, the only UN plan that obliges developed nations to cut carbon emissions⁵, is a vital step towards a new global UN deal to be agreed in 2015 and to enter into force in 2020.

The European Union-led group including Australia have pledged to join the second period of the Kyoto Protocol, while the United States, Japan, Canada and Russia, among others, insist on keeping away from the treaty despite international criticism.

However, no tougher emission⁴ reduction goals were announced by the developed countries in Doha, although they are urged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 percent to 40 percent below 1990 by 2020.

On the issue of how the developed world help developing countries respond to climate change, European countries including Britain, Germany, France, Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark have announced to provide financial assistance worth several billion euros, although the amount is far from enough.

The developing nations complain that the large amount of money promised by rich donors⁶ have not materialized. Developed countries have pledged a total of 30 billion U.S. dollars called "Fast Start " fund from 2010 to 2012, and a scale-up of the aid to 100 billion dollars per year by 2020.

As the draft agreement showed, no agreement turned out at the Doha talks on how to bridge the funding gap from next year, with the United States, Europe and other developed nations citing economic slowdown as the excuse for refusal to provide more.

1 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

2 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

5 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

6 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》