Commonwealth builds momentum for climate deal

Leaders of the 53-nation Commonwealth meeting in Trinidad  and Tobago used their summit to bolster a diplomatic offensive  seeking wide consensus on how to fight global warming ahead of  Dec. 7-18 UN climate talks in the Danish capital.

“We believe … the time for action on climate change has  come. The clock is ticking to Copenhagen … we believe that  the political goodwill and resolve exists to secure a  comprehensive agreement at Copenhagen,” Australian Prime  Minister Kevin Rudd told a news conference in Port of Spain.

The Commonwealth Climate Change Declaration pledged the  group’s backing for Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen  in his efforts to secure wide attendance and commitment from  world leaders at the Copenhagen climate talks.

“We pledge our continued support to the leaders-driven  process … to deliver a comprehensive, substantial and  operationally binding agreement in Copenhagen leading towards a  full legally binding outcome no later than 2010,” the Port of  Spain declaration said.

Tackling the issue of funding for poor nations’ efforts to  fight climate change and global warming, the Commonwealth also  backed an initiative to establish a Copenhagen Launch Fund,  starting in 2010 and building to $10 billion annually by 2012.

Rasmussen and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who  joined the Com-monwealth leaders’ discussions in Port of Spain,  welcomed the declaration from the group.

Ban said world leaders should “stay focused, stay committed  and come to Copenhagen to secure a deal.”

Rasmussen said 89 heads of state and government had so far  advised they would attend next month’s talks in Copenhagen, and  Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister and the Commonwealth  summit’s host, Patrick Manning, announced he would be there  too, bringing the total expected number to 90.

While next month’s U.N. talks are not expected to result in  the immediate approval of a detailed climate treaty, the  wording of the Common-wealth climate declaration made clear its  leaders expected any deal reached in Copen-hagen would be  “operationally binding” and lead fast to a definitive treaty.

UN chief Ban has said an agreement to lay the foundation  for such a legally binding accord is now “within reach.”

The deal the United Nations is aiming for in Copenhagen would cover tougher emissions targets, climate financing for poorer nations and transfer of clean-energy technology.

The climate treaty, expected to be adopted as a final text  next year, will replace the Kyoto Protocol expiring in 2012.

‘Fast start funding’

Commonwealth leaders suggested that 10 per cent of the  proposed $10 billion-a-year Copenhagen Launch Fund should be  channelled to small island states most at risk from rising sea  levels caused by global warming.

Nearly half of the Commonwealth’s members are small island  states, and developing nations have been appealing for hefty  financial aid from rich governments to help them counter climate change and reduce carbon pollution.

The Commonwealth put at the forefront of the climate debate  the cases of tiny island states like the Maldives in the Indian  Ocean and Tuvalu and Kiribati in the Pacific, whose existence would be threatened by swelling ocean levels.

Earlier, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed welcomed the  backing of the Common-wealth’s developed countries — Britain,  Australia, Canada, and New Zealand — for the proposed “fast  start funding” seen as essential for any climate deal.

“I believe the Common-wealth understands our pre-dicament  more than the others … they have put concrete things on the  table,” he told Reuters.

On Friday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for  the creation of the $10 billion-a-year fund, arguing such  financing should be made available as early as next year, well  before any new climate deal takes effect.

The idea was also backed by French President Nicolas  Sarkozy, who also attended the Commonwealth summit as an  invited guest to lobby in support of a climate deal.

Prospects for achieving a broad political framework pact in  Copenhagen next month were brightened this week by public  promises of greenhouse gas curbs by China and the United  States, the world’s biggest emitters.