China favours EU plans for Kyoto replacement – but with conditions

EU plans for a global treaty to legally bind all countries to slash greenhouse emissions by 2020 appear to be – just – on track after China and Brazil, two of the biggest developing countries, indicated they were prepared to consider the proposed accord, with conditions. As senior ministers from more than 190 countries flew in to the UN meeting in South Africa, to take over the negotiations from officials, the energy secretary, Chris Huhne, arrived on Monday saying there was a "real chance" that the stuttering climate talks could be revived. With talks entering their seventh day, the EU now leads nearly 100 mostly small developing countries in calls for a treaty to replace the existing Kyoto protocol and to sign up all states to emission cuts. Huhne said: "There is a real signal from what China is saying that there may be flexibility in its position [and we] could see commitment to a global, legally binding agreement. "Until now there has been a standoff between leading countries about who should move first. Someone has to lead. It's just possible we're beginning to see leadership not [just] from traditional [players] but also from big emitters and developing world." Noting that talks could still collapse, he added: "This is not the global deal, but it's about getting everyone to have a similar vision, or roadmap. We're not going to get a good result if people stick with the positions they came with." Xie Zhenhua , head of the Chinese delegation in Durban, said China was happy to talk to the EU and others, but said that the richest countries should meet existing obligations to cut emissions, enshrined in the Kyoto protocol, and shoulder the burden of cuts. "Every country shall undertake obligations and responsibilities according to their capacity. China would love to take part in that. China would like to join a legal document," he said. But China and Britain clashed over whether the former, as the world's largest carbon emitter, was still a developing country, Said Huhne: "China clearly cannot say it's a small developing country. Its so big, it is a global player". But Xie said: "China remains a developing country. Per capita GDP is only $4,300, and we have 128 million population living within $1 a day." The survival of Kyoto protocol, which some developing countries see as their only guarantee of rich ones cutting emissions, looks precarious after Canada, Japan and Russia said they will not sign up to a second commitment period starting in 2013. The deal John Prescott, then environment secretary, pushed through in Japan in 1997 now depends on whether Europe signs up again. "It's still possible to have a second commitment period. We want one. But there has to be a commitment to a roadmap [ahead]. There is no point in signing up when 80% of global emissions would not be covered in that agreement. Nevertheless, it's important to keep [the protocol] alive," said Huhne, adding that Europe was prepared to ditch it if necessary. India maintained its position that it would not sign to any new treaty, but Brazil said the options were still open to make progress towards a deal at Durban. Crucially, Brazil said it was "open to the options for a new treaty" being put forward by the EU. Luiz Alberto Figueiredo, Brazilian ambassador, said: "We want a legally binding agreement but we don't want any legally binding [agreement]." Like China, he reaffirmed Brazil's commitment to the Kyoto protocol, which he said as a "rules-based system" was better than the alternative suggested by some, of an informal one of nationally set voluntary targets. "We believe Kyoto should be kept alive, especially when you need it in future negotiations on the next steps in the international fight against climate change post 2020," he said.