IN COPENHAGEN
12.05pm (Denmark time):
Prime minister Wen Jiaobao is speaking now, saying 'I am deeply aware of the heavy responsibility. China takes climate change very seriously. China was the first developing country to adopt and implement a national climate change programme.'
The premier is outlining China's impressive gains in renewable energy and carbon reduction and reforestation, and sweeping economy-wide, integrated plans for mandatory carbon reduction.
He is emphasising that the world community must follow and not deviate from the Bali Roadmap, and underscoring the principle of common and differentiated responsibility.
He is concluding by underlining that it is 'with a sense of responsibility to the Chinese people and whole mankind that the Chinese government has set a target for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. The action is voluntary, unconditional. We will honour our word.. we are fully committed to achieving and even exceeding the target.'
12.15pm:
Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula says: 'I am a little bit frustrated. Because for a long time we have been discussing the climate change issue and more and more we see that the problem is even more severe than we could have ever imagined. Brazil has taken a position that I should say is a very bold one.
'We have presented our targets to the year 2020 and we have assumed a commitment and we have passed in our National Congress...that Brazil will to 2020, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 36.1-38.9 per cent.'
Copenhagen, Denmark.
ST PHOTO: Nirmal Ghosh
12.30pm:
Barack Obama : 'Climate change is not fiction. The question is our capacity to meet the challenge. (But) our ability to take collective action is in doubt right now, and hangs in the balance, I believe we can act boldly and decisively in the face of a common threat. I come here today not to talk but to act. As the world's largest economy and the world's 2nd largest emitter, America bears a responsibility to address climate change and we intend to meet that responsibility.'
'We are convinced for our own self interest that the way we use energy changing it to a more efficient fashion is good for national security because it reduces dependence on foreign oil,' he said.
'America will continue on this course no matter what happens in Copenhagen. But we also believe we will all be stronger, all safer, all more secure if we act together. That's why it is in our mutual interest to achieve a global award in which we agree to certain steps and hold each other accountable.
'I believe the pieces of that accord should now be clear. First all major economies must put forward decisive national actions that will reduce emissions and begin to turn the corner on climate change. I am pleased that many have already done so.
He emphasised the need for a review mechanism, not intrusive on sovereignty but in the interest of a credible accord that will not be 'empty words on a page'.
'We must have financing that helps developing countries adapt, particularly the least developed and most vulnerable. America will fast start funding that will ramp up to 10 billion (Dollars) by 2012. Yesterday secretary Clinton said we will engage in a global effort to mobilize 100 billion by 2020 if and only if it is part of a broader accord that I've just described. Mitigation, transparency, financing: a clear formula.
'We are running short on time., At this point the question is whether we will move forward together or split apart whether we will prefer posturing to action.
'We know the fault lines because we’ve been imprisoned by them for years. These international discussions have essentially taken place now for almost two decades and we have very little to show for it other than an increase and acceleration of the climate change phenomenon.'