Key United Nations climate talks temporarily broke down today after major emitters refused to back a call from Tuvalu for a legally-binding text to be agreed in Copenhagen, according to dpa. The low-lying Pacific state, whose survival is threatened by rising sea levels, had asked delegates from more than 190 countries to work on a new protocol designed to force big emission cuts around the globe. But its demand was opposed by China and India, among others, forcing a suspension in the negotiations. "For the world"s most vulnerable countries, like Tuvalu, this is about survival. It"s about whether the rest of the world is serious about stopping climate change," said Martin Kaiser of Greenpeace, a pressure group. Kaiser accused China and India of wanting to "skip the discussion on legal form altogether," but also accused the United States and other industrial nations of keeping quiet on the issue. China and the US, which has not ratified the existing, legally-binding Kyoto protocol on emission targets, have both indicated that they would rather have a political agreement reached in Copenhagen. The third day of talks in the Danish capital also saw the European Union hit back at China over accusations that the bloc was not doing enough to cut its own emissions, with EU official Anders Turesson of Sweden criticizing the Chinese delegation of leading developing countries to stonewall on vital topics. The conference"s host, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, was also forced to reject criticism over a controversial Danish draft that had angered developing nations. Rasmussen said the accusations levelled by the Group of 77 (G77) body of developing nations was unjustified, given that the working paper was merely a draft. "There are many different working papers," he said. The day had begun on an upbeat note, with environmentalists saying that despite divisions, talks were moving forward. "So far, it seems negotiators are taking up the challenge and are moving towards something that will provide a good outcome," said Kim Carstensen of WWF, a pressure group. The negotiations are to step up a gear at the weekend, when environment ministers will begin to trickle in. They will come to a head on December 17-18 with the arrival of some 110 heads of state and government, among them US President Barack Obama.
