The chair of the Group of 77 (G77) countries on Saturday rejected a deal on climate change proposed by the United States and key developing states, threatening a rebellion within United Nations talks in Copenhagen.
“This deal violates the UN tradition: a deal cannot be imposed.
This deal will put the poor in a worse situation,” Sudan’s Lumumba Di-Aping told journalists.
“Sudan will never sign a treaty that destroys Africa,” he warned, adding that other poor countries could also reject it.
The G77 chief was speaking hours after U.S. President Barack Obama said that he had drawn up a “meaningful” deal on fighting climate change with China — formerly a key G77 ally — India and South Africa.
The deal offered poor states funding to help them fight climate change, but did not commit developed states to overall reductions in their greenhouse-gas emissions.
“With this treaty, Mr. Obama eliminates any difference between himself and (his predecessor, George W) Bush,” a noted opponent of measures to combat climate change, Mr. Lumumba said.
