Hours before the high-level ministerial delegation begins the eighth conference of parties meeting on climate change (COP8), the EU has raised its pitch for turning the Delhi Declaration in its favour.The environment ministers of UK, Norway and France met COP president T.R. Baalu today and demanded that the draft indicate a work-plan beyond 2012. This means they would like a commitment to cut down greenhouse gas emissions from the developing world sooner than envisaged in the Kyoto protocol. According to the protocol, the developed countries should take the lead to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The discussion on the commitments of the developing world are only to begin by 2005.The EU is also blocking negotiations on deciding the operationalisation of various funds. Ambassador R. Estrada of United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention said: ‘‘Developed countries were less disposed to contributing funds in the present meeting.’’ These countries are also trying to turn the debate towards setting up priorities rather than framing guidelines on use of these funds.
