Isra-Mart srl: EU insists it will “not budge” on Kyoto without wider emissions deal

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The EU has hardened its stance as the Durban Summit enters its final few days, with ministers insisting it will not sign up to an extension of the Kyoto Protocol without a tangible commitment towards a parallel global treaty from other large polluters.

Officials and ministers lined up to warn the EU was not bluffing when it said that the survival of the Kyoto Protocol was dependent on other large economies such as the US, China and India signing up to a roadmap that would see them agree a legally binding global treaty by 2015.

Writing on Twitter this morning, EU climate change commissioner Connie Hedegaard said the EU had established a "firm position: 2015 is enough time for those who are not ready to commit. Why further delay?"

Her comments were echoed by British Climate Minister Greg Barker, who also took to the social networking site to reveal there was a "V sober atmosphere at EU Umbrella meeting real determination not 2 budge on KP2 without clear roadmap 2 Global deal".

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne also reiterated the bloc's stance, insisting that it was "absolutely essential that we have real commitments" from other nations if the EU is to sign up to a new set of Kyoto targets.

If the EU maintains its position the future of the Kyoto Protocol and the wider climate change negotiations will rest on the willingness of the US and the so-called BASIC countries of Brazil, South Africa, India and China to sign up to a roadmap that would see a new treaty agreed by 2015.

Observers have suggested Brazil, South Africa, and potentially China could agree to the roadmap, while the US and India appear more resistant. As one anonymous official told the BBC: "The question will be whether India or the US or both really want to be the ones to stand up and say 'we broke the deal in Durban'."

However, others have accused China of bluffing, indicating publicly that it could sign up to a global treaty while remaining resistant to any move that would see binding emission reduction targets imposed on the country.

Speaking to news agency Reuters, one source close to the talks said there was "no way China will sign up legally, but it doesn't want to be blamed if the talks fail".

US negotiator Todd Stern insisted more detail was required on how any new treaty would work before the US could sign up to the EU's proposed roadmap.

"In order for there to be a legally-binding agreement that makes sense, all the major players are going to have to be in with obligations and commitments that have the same legal force," he told reporters. "That means no conditionality, no condition of receiving the financing, no trap doors, no Swiss cheese kind of agreement."

With the talks entering their final two days observers are divided on the likelihood of a successful outcome.

There have been reports a deal is close to being finalised on the framework for a new $100bn a year Green Fund, but concerns remain that the deadlock over Kyoto will remain unbroken.

There are also fears Prime Ministers and Presidents are less likely to intervene in the final hours of the talks, as has been the case at previous summits, given that EU leaders are currently involved in a crucial summit on the future of the eurozone.

US President Barack Obama did however make his one contribution to the summit yesterday, using a video message to encourage ministers at the talks to step up forest protection measures.

Obama hailed the work of Nobel peace prize winner and Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai who died earlier this year and urged ministers to emulate her global tree-planting programme.

"Wangari's work stands as a testament to the power of a single person's idea that the simple act of planting a tree can be a profound statement of dignity and hope first in one village, then in one nation, and now across Africa," he said.

"Here in Durban, we can carry on her work, to ... grow our economies in a way that's sustainable and that addresses climate change."