After a round of all-night talks, the Copenhagen summit on climate change has come to an agreement on a framework, but has failed to get the deal officially endorsed, and listed no specific targets for fighting carbon emissions.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the deal after delegates at the climate conference decided to recognize a political accord brokered by U.S. President Barack Obama with China and other emerging powers.
The countries agreed to just "take note" of the agreement, but did not formally approve it. It had required unanimous consent by the almost 200 countries that attended the conference.
A statement on the conference's website says the text "is still strongly debated, and it remains to be seen how many countries will sign on."
While Ban admits this is just the beginning of a process to craft a binding pact, he says the agreement "will have an immediate operational effect." He says it will likely become binding next year.
The U.S. announced late Friday that it had reached a "meaningful agreement" with China, India, South Africa and Brazil over a climate change plan. Canada was not included in those talks.
Obama's last-minute plan resulted in a three-page document that pledges:
- US$30 billion over the next three years for developing nations.
- A goal of pumping US$100 billion each year into the fund by 2020.
- Aims to limit global warming to a change of 2 degrees Celsius, which is stronger than previous declarations.
The talks in Copenhagen had been marred by a growing division between rich and poor countries, as well as between the United States and China -- the world's two biggest polluters.
A group of developing countries, including Bolivia, Cuba, Sudan and Venezuela bitterly protested the U.S.-brokered draft accord because it lists no specific targets for reducing carbon emissions.
The chief negotiator of the G77, a group of developing nations in Africa, Asia and South America, accused the conference of having the U.S. take the lead, disregarding the input of other countries.
A small step forward?
"What has happened today confirms what we have been suspicious of: that a deal will be superimposed by the United States with the help of the Danish government on all nations of the world," said Lumumba Di-Aping, a Sudanese diplomat.
John Drexhage, the Director of the International Institute for Sustainable Development told CTV News Channel that the fact some major developing nations agreed to the deal is a step forward, but the real test for the agreement comes at the next G20 Summit which will be held in Toronto in June.
"That's going to be the next big forum where this is going to be addressed," he said by phone from Copenhagen.
He also said unclear language in the deal could be a stumbling block for future implementation.
"I think the fact that we don't have any provisions for it being legally binding is the real problem, and hopefully that will successfully be addressed next year," he said.
Canada has not yet commented on the deal.
Canada a backseat driver?
Canada has been vilified at the summit by environmental groups, and was named "Fossil of the Year."
Groups mocked Canada for rising emissions, accused it of stonewalling talks, and ridiculed Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The "award" points to Canada for rising emissions and accuses it of being "the absolute worst country at the talks."
At his final news conference in Copenhagen, Harper said he was willing to let the other leaders work out a deal.
"Our interests were protected through a strategic alliance with other key players," he said. CTV's Robert Fife reported he was alluding to Obama.
The opposition says Canada should have done better.
"Our government I'm afraid, just took a back seat for the ride and hope to get out of it without any of its policies changed," said NDP Leader Jack Layton.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Canada should come up with its own policy and not followed the U.S.
"We can't have Canadian energy and environmental policy held hostage by American politics," he said.
