BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Work on a new U.N. deal on global warming is threatened by a “climate apartheid” between rich and poor countries, and emerging economies must do their part by setting emissions targets, Brazil’s environment minister said.
Carlos Minc told Reuters developing countries such as Brazil, India and China should adopt targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions but that rich countries need to honor their pledges on existing climate targets and the transfer of technology and finance to poor countries.
“I’m in favor of quantifiable and measurable targets to curb emissions — different for each (developing) country,” Minc said in an interview late on Wednesday.
Poor countries have so far been exempt from meeting targets for greenhouse gas emissions that accelerate global warming and had not been expected to set targets as part of a new deal. Brazil is seeking to be a key negotiator in talks in Copenhagen in December aimed at agreeing a new climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol after 2012.
U.N. climate chief Yvo de Boer said this week countries had made no specific proposals, including financing mechanisms, for a possible agreement, calling the slow progress “worrying.”
“Today there is a climate apartheid between developing and developed countries. There’s very big mistrust,” said Minc, wearing one the many multicolored waistcoats that have become a trademark of the co-founder of Brazil’s Green Party.