Diplomats in Bonn have pushed back on an initiative to assess whether current levels of carbon cuts will slow risky warming
By Ed King
Envoys in Bonn failed to agree on whether or not to acknowledge science after more than a week of UN climate talks.
Countries collectively decided to prevent risky levels of warming of above 2C back in 2009.
But a set of talks aimed at establishing what level of emission reductions were on the table ended in failure on Wednesday – and a short statement (above).
As RTCC reported on Tuesday the EU, Least Developed Countries and the Africa Group wanted more detail on the national strategies of major polluters.
But China, India and Saudi Arabia were among those who rejected this call, and said it should wait until countries gather in Paris in December to discuss a global pact to avert warming.
Speaking to the BBC’s Roger Harrabin, Chinese chief negotiator Su Wei said there was no time left for these discussions.
“It has taken us 10 days here discussing procedural matters and we have made hardly any progress,” he said. “We cannot add any more items to the agenda to be discussed before Paris.”
You can read more about these discussions here, and find out why the 2C warming line is important here.