Copenhagen summit agrees 2C global warming limit
Copenhagen summit disappoints campaigners with limited deal
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Saturday, 19, Dec 2009 10:36
By Alex Stevenson
An air of frustration pervaded the final hours of the Copenhagen summit after Barack Obama finally secured a limited agreement.
The US president eventually persuaded delegates at the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC) to back a motion approving his agreement.
The Copenhagen accord acknowledges the need to take action to restrict global warming to 2C. It is the first time the US has participated in such a deal.
Campaigners criticised its limited scope, saying the crucial two-week negotiations should have resulted in a firmer outcome.
"The statements that emerged today from President Barack Obama after he attended the summit amounted to a shadow of what could and should have been achieved," Christian Aid's senior climate change advocacy officer Nelson Muffuh said.
"Already 300,000 people die each year because of the impact of climate change, most of them in the developing world. The lack of ambition shown by rich countries in Copenhagen means that number will grow."
Reluctance to pass the Copenhagen accord by a small number of countries, including Venezuela, meant even securing unanimous agreement by the formal UNCCC session marked an achievement.
Climate change secretary Ed Miliband voiced his own concerns, admitting he had hoped for a stronger agreement after spending most of the night in meetings.
"We would have wanted a more comprehensive agreement, a legally binding one. I think it's good we've made a start... today's events show the difficulty we face."