Fractured Lima deal to save the planet

On the scheduled penultimate day (Dec 11) of the Lima talks, developed countries had refused to provide a road map before 2019 for their financial commitments to fight climate change but, at the same time, demanded that the developing countries announce their linked actions to reduce emissions, and subject them to review, well before 2015. Although Sunday's agreement is of some help to the developing nations, it benefits the developed world immensely and leaves the planet even poorer.

When the conference was extended, many expected an early outcome on day 13. But more disappointment was in store. "We have deadlock," declared Liu Zhenmin, negotiator for China, which had raised hopes of a breakthrough at Lima by signing what many consider a landmark climate treaty with the United States in Beijing last month. Liu's exclamation followed China's support to Malaysia and other developing countries to reject a draft that allowed rich countries to shirk their responsibilities. In the end, however, the rich countries had their way. Call it arm-twisting, if you want.

The aim of the Lima climate talks, to put it simply, was simple: Reaching a deal on what information should be part of the promises that countries submit for an expected climate pact in Paris next year. But the developed countries' double standards, rather break of promise on the UN Green Climate Fund, has put paid to that hope, especially because they have blurred the difference between the responsibilities of the rich and poor nations to fight climate change. Historically, Western nations are by far the biggest emitters. So theirs is a greater responsibility to repair the environment.

Why does the developed world even pretend to help save the planet? And why does the UN even bother to hold conferences to help reduce emissions to save the world from imminent disaster when meetings like the one at Lima emits more greenhouse gases (50,000 tons of carbon dioxide) than an entire country like Malawi, Sierra Leone, Fiji or Barbados in 12 days?

The future of the world, going by changes in climate and weather, and conferences like the one at Lima, is indeed in peril.

The author is a senior editor with China Daily. oprana@hotmail.com