CC-DAY DRAWS CLOSER

by MONITOR
THE spectre of the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in December looms ever larger. The urgent task of the conference will be get universal agreement on measures to reduce the carbon emissions that cause the global warming that leads to climate change. It is urgent because the existing controls of the Kyoto Treaty are due to expire in just over two years -- a very short time where international are concerned. At the beginning of this year there was some optimism that a positive deal could be done at Copenhagen -- President Obama spoke encouragingly about a change of policy in America after his predecessor's negative attitude -- but as what can be called CC-Day draws closer there are increasing signs of foot-dragging in a number of countries, although China has made some constructive proposals. Britain has its problems but the government is certainly doing all it can to get a European Union commitment to carbon cuts that will provide a target for other countries to reach. The Foreign Secretary David Miliband it taking a lead in this and is holding meetings in Denmark, France and Sweden this week before moving to Washington where there will be a gathering of rich nations to see whether they can also agree to set an example. UN talks are due to be follow in Thailand as the final stage of preparations for Copenhagen. The clock really is ticking on this critical issue.