Sunita Narain says Bali achieved nothing

New Delhi, Dec 15 (UNI) Environmentalist Sunita Narain today dubbed the outcome of UN Climate talks at Bali as ''no outcome at all''.

''It is a repeat of what had been done and said at Rio earth summit 15 years back. The US attitude remains the same, for which the world will have to pay a heavy price,'' she told UNI reacting to the Bali declaration that came after two weeks of marathon talks today.

Over 190 nations at Bali meeting approved a roadmap for two years of negotiations to arrive at a new treaty to succeed Kyoto beyond 2012 which would also be applicable to the US which had refused to ratify the existing Kyoto protocol.

A successor pact will be agreed at a meeting in Copenhagen in late 2009.

The final text called on developed nations to consider ''quantified'' emissions cuts and developing countries to consider ''mitigation actions''.

The deal could be possible after the United States gave up its opposition to a proposal by the developing countries bloc, the G77, for rich nations to do more to help the developing world fight rising greenhouse emissions.

Although the European governments were pleased with the deal, Ms Narain said in substance nothing much has been achieved.

''The US is refusing to recognise the gravity of the situation, while the time is running out for this planet,'' she said.

Agreement on a pact in 2009 would give governments time to ratify the pact and give certainty to markets and investors wanting to switch to cleaner energy technologies.

Kyoto mandates all industrial nations except the United States to cut emissions of greenhouse gases between 2008 and 2012, while exempting the developing countries. However, new negotiations will seek to bind all countries to emission curbs.

Meanwhile, the Bali meeting agreed to launch a UN fund to help poor nations meet the damage from climate change such as droughts or rise in sea levels.

The accord, under which the fund will start in 2008, splits the responsibility for its management between the Global Environment Facility, which funds clean energy projects, and the World Bank. The fund would have a 16-member board with strong representation from developing countries.

The meeting also agreed for a pay-and-preserve scheme known as reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries (REDD) which would allow poorer nations from 2013 to sell carbon offsets to rich countries in return for not burning their tropical forests.

It recognised the urgent need to take further action to cut carbon and methane emissions from tropical forests.

The final draft called for more financial resources and investment for developing countries on adaptation, mitigation and technology cooperation, especially for the most vulnerable.

UNI