The world public is closely watching the on-going 17^th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-17), which hopes to create a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol. Hope will only become a reality if developed and developing countries narrow their differences and take responsibility for the earth.

15,000 delegates from 194 countries and territories worldwide are attending COP-17, underway in Durban, South Africa, until 9 December. High on the agenda is the extension of the Kyoto Protocol into a 2^nd phase. Other issues include implementing   agreements already reached;  drafting a new legally binding document to replace the 1^st phase of the Kyoto Protocol; clearly defining the financial responsibility and obligations of major contributors to the carbon footprint to cut down greenhouse gas emissions; seeking a co-ordination mechanism to implement measures to mitigate global climate change; and ensuring the inclusion of everyone’s interests in the agreements. South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma expressed his hope that the conference will manage to press the start button for agreements reached at the previous meeting, COP-16, in Cancun, Mexico. These include an agreement to establish a Green Environment Fund and a commitment by the developed countries to finance the fund and reduce carbon emissions.

15,000 delegates from 194 countries and territories worldwide are attending COP-17, underway in Durban, South Africa, until 9 December. High on the agenda is the extension of the Kyoto Protocol into a 2^nd phase. Other issues include implementing   agreements already reached;  drafting a new legally binding document to replace the 1^st phase of the Kyoto Protocol; clearly defining the financial responsibility and obligations of major contributors to the carbon footprint to cut down greenhouse gas emissions; seeking a co-ordination mechanism to implement measures to mitigate global climate change; and ensuring the inclusion of everyone’s interests in the agreements. South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma expressed his hope that the conference will manage to press the start button for agreements reached at the previous meeting, COP-16, in Cancun, Mexico. These include an agreement to establish a Green Environment Fund and a commitment by the developed countries to finance the fund and reduce carbon emissions.

It will not be easy to reach these goals as COP-17 takes places with the world on the verge of economic collapse. The US and Europe are facing severe public debt crisis while their economies are stagnant. These problems are hindering efforts to deal with climate change challenges. Countries remain divided when it comes to goals and measures for reducing gas emissions so that global temperature increases are kept to below 2 degree C.   Conflicts of interest between developed and developing countries is worsening the problem. Head of the US delegation to the conference Jonathan Pershing said the major emitters are unlikely to commit to emissions cuts before 2020. Pershing said the struggle for a safe climate is likely to end up in a deadlock because the majority of Kyoto Protocol members do not want to extend it for another phase while newly emerged economies like China, India, and Brazil refuse to commit to emissions cuts. Earlier, Japan and Russia announced that they will not take part in the second phase of the protocol. Europe conditioned its agreement on Chinese and US participation.

Issues raised at previous UN meetings remain unsolved while the climate is deteriorating. Global warming is producing negative impacts on the environment, people’s health, food and the Ozone layer. Before the meeting, UN experts predicted that the world is unlikely keep temperature increases by 2020 below 2 degree C, even if all emission targets are reached. It is high time for all nations worldwide to join together and make the sacrifices necessary to cope with global warming before it is too late.

Doan Trung