The world has been anxiously awaiting the United Nations summit on climate change that will take place in Copenhagen next month. Varying reports have emerged about whether or not the summit will produce a binding resolution. Some world leaders have been skeptical lately as to whether or not a worldwide emissions standard would be reached, while environmental groups, protesters, and activists hope the summit can spark change all over the planet. Some see the skepticism as a way to lower expectations for the upcoming talks, as it has long been thought that there is still a wide divide between countries on carbon emission standards.
One person who is remaining optimistic is the United Nations’ top climate official, who recently said that he thinks an agreement is possible, and that he hopes American president Barack Obama would come to the meeting with a specific target and a way to finance it. Earlier UN negotiator Yvo de Boer said that he felt a deal was unlikely, but now that the talks are getting closer he has been increasingly optimistic that a specific agreement can be reached. De Boer’s optimism is partially because of very public commitments that were made by several countries including Russia, Brazil, South Korea, and Japan.
The main player in Copenhagen will be the United States, who de Boer believes will come to Copenhagen with a specific target to cut carbon emissions and will contribute largely to the effort financially. The main sticking point has been the rift between wealthier nations and developing nations like China and India.
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