Biggest, most polluting nations try to strike climate deal

REPRESENTATIVES of the world’s 17 biggest and most polluting nations were holding talks yesterday to search for a breakthrough on financingefforts to contain climate change and reduce gas emissions causing global warming.

Pressure has been mounting for the US tofinalise its position before a decisive December conference in Denmark meant to cap two years of negotiations on a global climate change treaty.

“With only 50 more days to go before the final talks at Copenhagen, we have to up our game. Britain is determined to throw everything at this because the stakes are so high,” British environment minister Ed Miliband said.

Earlier Miliband had said it was “important that the US makes as much progress as possible” at the two-day meeting of the Major Economies Forum.

The Obama administration said it was tied toaction by US congress, where climate bills were making their slow waytoward legislation – an argument which cut little ice with other negotiators.

“The rich countries of the Major EconomiesForum must urgently put new money on the table to ensure the developing world can grow cleanly and adapt to the effects of climate change, which are putting millions of lives at risk,” said Asad Rehman of Friends of the Earth.

Miliband said there had been some progress, pointing to recent commitments by Japan and China aimed at reducing emissions.

He insisted the meeting in London could tackle differences between developed and developingnations outside the formal UN negotiating process.