Leak Threatens Copenhagen Deal

Is the Copenhagen conference on climate change in trouble already? The Guardian reports that developing nations “reacted furiously” to the leak of an agreement that world leaders will be asked to sign onto next week. The so-called Danish Text, drawn up by a group of countries believed to include the U.S., U.K., and Denmark, would force developing countries to agree to specific emissions cuts; abandon the Kyoto Protocol; vest control of climate-change finance in the World Bank; and not allow poor countries to emit more than 1.44 tons of carbon per person by 2050, while allowing rich countries to emit 2.67 tons per person. Essentially, developing nations see it as an attempt by rich countries to wrest control of climate-change issues away from the United Nations.