Delegates frustrated over slow progress at Copenhagen meet

On the halfway mark of the Copenhagen climate change conference delegates have expressed frustration that one week into the meeting sufficient progress had not been made due to differences between the developed and developing world.

“Almost a week has passed we are in a situation where we can see that we haven’t achieved enough, if we would continue at this pace we would not manage what is to be achieved next week,” the Swedish Environment Minister, speaking on behalf of the EU told journalists here.

On the halfway mark of the meet negotiators and ministers inside the Bella centre were locked in closed rooms poring over rough drafts of potential agreements trying to reach some sort of compromise in their divergent positions on technical issues as well as political stands.

“So basically EU is now intending to make sure that we can create even further possibilities in the negotiations. I also expect that we ministers will have an important role to play to make sure that we can help and support the protest and create some political achievement on issues that are difficult to achieve among negotiators,” he added.

Even before the High Level Segment begins next week, around 48 ministers including the Indian Environment Minister have already arrived and have gone into closed door informal meetings that began on Saturday.

Several delegates have said that time is running out and the bridges between the developed and developing world looks increasingly difficult.