De Boer: 'Unexpected Stop' in Copenhagen Climate Change Negotiations

“A number of unsolved issues” are left for world leaders to resolve during the next two days, said the UNFCCC Executive Secretary, after observers of the UN climate conference had spent Wednesday afternoon waiting for breaking news on the climate talks.

Top UN climate official, Yvo de Boer Photo: Scanpix/EPA

(COPENHAGEN, Denmark) - The negotiating process at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen was subject to an “unexpected stop” on Wednesday, according to Yvo de Boer, the UN's top climate official.

“The cable car has made an unexpected stop,” he said at a press briefing Wednesday evening, referring to a statement he made on Monday. By then the conference was about half way up the mountain, everybody was queuing up for the cable car, and “the rest of the ride is going to be fast, smooth and relaxing”.

The unexpected stop happened – according to several news media – as delegates needed time to discuss the basis of the further talks.

It was expected all Wednesday that the Danish conference presidency would present a text designed to establish consensus. However, on Wednesday evening Yvo de Boer said he did not know if the Danish text had actually been tabled.

“I don’t know if the Danish text is out,” he said, mentioning that to judge from what had been said in the plenary session more than one text was going to form the basis of negotiations.

The Danish Prime Minister and President of the conference, Lars Løkke Rasmussen was on Wednesday consulting all groups of countries on the process, de Boer said. He expected the cable car “to continue within a few hours”.

“It is still possible to reach a real success,” Yvo de Boer said, but there are “a number of unsolved issues” left for world leaders to resolve at their summit on Thursday and Friday.

“The next 24 hours are absolutely crucial,” Yvo de Boer said.

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Source: Cop 15 Copenhagen