Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Gore: U.S. Blocking Climate Talks Progress
Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore on Wednesday accused the U.S. of blocking progress at U.N. climate talks in Bali but said a breakthrough was possible in the final days of the conference.
"Some of the reports are worrisome, but I know from experience ... that when breakthroughs do occur, they usually happen in the last 48 hours," Gore told reporters in Sweden. "I hope there will be a change on the part of some countries, including most importantly my own, the United States."
The European Union and developing nations strongly favor specific target ranges for emissions, but the U.S. has argued strenuously at Bali that including such language in the final document would prejudice negotiations over the next two years.
"The position of the administration in the U.S. right now appears to be to try to block any progress in Bali. I hope that will change," Gore said.
The former U.S. vice president and the U.N.'s chief climate scientist, Rajendra Pachauri, were set to travel later Wednesday to Bali, where the two-week conference ends Friday.
They were in Sweden to speak to lawmakers after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize on Monday in neighboring Norway for spreading awareness about global warming and how to counteract it.
Pachauri also voiced concern that the talks had stalled.
"It seems to me in the last few days we've been stuck," Pachauri told reporters. "We really haven't made new progress. I wish very much that in the next two or three days we get a real breakthrough."
Gore said governments should aim to complete negotiations on a new climate treaty in two years.
"I believe that the treaty should be completed in Copenhagen," Gore said, referring to the U.N. climate summit set to be held in the Danish capital in December 2009.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore on Wednesday accused the U.S. of blocking progress at U.N. climate talks in Bali but said a breakthrough was possible in the final days of the conference.
"Some of the reports are worrisome, but I know from experience ... that when breakthroughs do occur, they usually happen in the last 48 hours," Gore told reporters in Sweden. "I hope there will be a change on the part of some countries, including most importantly my own, the United States."
The European Union and developing nations strongly favor specific target ranges for emissions, but the U.S. has argued strenuously at Bali that including such language in the final document would prejudice negotiations over the next two years.
"The position of the administration in the U.S. right now appears to be to try to block any progress in Bali. I hope that will change," Gore said.
The former U.S. vice president and the U.N.'s chief climate scientist, Rajendra Pachauri, were set to travel later Wednesday to Bali, where the two-week conference ends Friday.
They were in Sweden to speak to lawmakers after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize on Monday in neighboring Norway for spreading awareness about global warming and how to counteract it.
Pachauri also voiced concern that the talks had stalled.
"It seems to me in the last few days we've been stuck," Pachauri told reporters. "We really haven't made new progress. I wish very much that in the next two or three days we get a real breakthrough."
Gore said governments should aim to complete negotiations on a new climate treaty in two years.
"I believe that the treaty should be completed in Copenhagen," Gore said, referring to the U.N. climate summit set to be held in the Danish capital in December 2009.
