Port of Spain:
The commonwealth nations seem united in endorsing a call for a legally binding international agreement on climate change.
At one of the largest gatherings of world leaders before the Copenhagen summit, the 53-nations Commonwealth meeting in Port of Spain, the leaders backed a multi-billion-dollar plan to help developing nations to deal with climate change and cut greenhouse gases.
The fund would start next year and build to 10 billion dollars annually by 2012.
India, which has been under tremendous pressure, has already said that it is open to emission cuts, provided developed countries share the burden equally and do their bit.
The Copenhagen offensive
Ahead of the Copenhagen Summit, it appears battle lines are being drawn between developed countries and a bloc of developing nations that include India, China, South Africa and Brazil.
The four countries have reportedly agreed to a strategy that involves jointly walking out of the conference if the developed nations try to force their own terms on the developing world.
According to reports from Beijing, Jairam Ramesh, the Indian minister for environment and forests has said, "We will not exit in isolation. We will co-ordinate our exit if any of our non-negotiable terms is violated. Our entry and exit will be collective."
The move comes after reports suggested that rich nations led by Denmark are trying to set the agenda of the conference by presenting a draft containing a set of specific proposals.
At one of the largest gatherings of world leaders before the Copenhagen summit, the 53-nations Commonwealth meeting in Port of Spain, the leaders backed a multi-billion-dollar plan to help developing nations to deal with climate change and cut greenhouse gases.
The fund would start next year and build to 10 billion dollars annually by 2012.
India, which has been under tremendous pressure, has already said that it is open to emission cuts, provided developed countries share the burden equally and do their bit.
The Copenhagen offensive
Ahead of the Copenhagen Summit, it appears battle lines are being drawn between developed countries and a bloc of developing nations that include India, China, South Africa and Brazil.
The four countries have reportedly agreed to a strategy that involves jointly walking out of the conference if the developed nations try to force their own terms on the developing world.
According to reports from Beijing, Jairam Ramesh, the Indian minister for environment and forests has said, "We will not exit in isolation. We will co-ordinate our exit if any of our non-negotiable terms is violated. Our entry and exit will be collective."
The move comes after reports suggested that rich nations led by Denmark are trying to set the agenda of the conference by presenting a draft containing a set of specific proposals.
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