Copenhagen Talks in Danger

The Copenhagen climate talks are in danger of failing. Dozens of heads of state began arriving in Copenhagen, ostensibly to sign a pact to curb emissions, on Friday, but with only one day left in the conference, negotiators have failed to draft a coherent text, in part due to disagreements over how much the developing world ought to join the industrialized world in cutting emissions. Finger-pointing over the failure has already begun. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the German parliament, "I must say very honestly, that the United States offer to cut by 4 percent compared to 1990 levels is not ambitious." India's environment minister accused rich countries of a "propaganda campaign" to blame developing countries for any breakdown in negotiations, noting that some developed countries were already blaming the G-77, a developing-nation group, while China has reportedly suggested that the conference simply issue a short political declaration instead of a treaty.