Worlds Ministers meet in Copenhagen ahead of Climate Summit

Environment Ministers from
45 countries will be gathering in Copenhagen on 16 and 17 November to
map out what the global climate deal will look like. The meeting is an
important opportunity to for rich countries to get the UN Climate
Summit off on the right track and show poor countries that there is
still a deal worth fighting for.

A key issue on the agenda is what kind of outcome governments will
aim for in Copenhagen - whether negotiators will seek to agree the
cornerstones of a fair, ambitious and binding deal or put off the key
decisions to 2010 or beyond. Ministers will also discuss what should be
included in the deal, from institutional issues such as how to manage
the climate fund, through to rich country commitments to cut emissions
and provide climate finance.

With discussions dominated by Europe's calls for delay over the last
few weeks the meeting will be a crucial opportunity for poor nations to
outline what kind of an agreement they will accept December. A deal
can not be struck in Copenhagen without agreement from all parties.

Developing countries have experienced decades of broken political
promises from rich countries on aid and trade. They are unlikely to
agree to a climate deal which does not guarantee that rich countries
will deliver on their commitments.

Poor nations will also be expecting significantly improved offers on
climate finance and emissions reductions. The Group of 77 developing
countries and China have called for rich countries to cut emissions by 40 percent on 1990 levels by 2020 and to provide around 1 percent of their GDP per year (about $400bn) to help poor countries adapt to a changing climate and cut emissions.

Despite two years of intense negotiations rich countries have yet to
agree overall commitments to cut carbon emissions or provide climate
finance - the two cornerstones of any agreement against which success
or failure will ultimately be judged.

Oxfam is calling for a deal in Copenhagen that guarantees action in two key areas: binding emissions reduction targets for rich countries and a substantial ongoing financial package
- which is additional to existing overseas aid commitments - to help
poor countries reduce their emissions and adapt to a changing climate.
Poor countries did little to create the climate crisis but are already
being hit hard by its effects.

Isabel Sande Frandsen, Climate Advisor for Ibis and Oxfam International said:
"Ministers have a real opportunity to get the UN Climate Summit off on
the right track. Ministers need to show poor countries that what is on
for table in Copenhagen is still worth fighting for. That means an
outcome which guarantees action in two key areas - emissions reductions
for rich countries and a substantial ongoing financial package to help
poor nations tackle climate change."

While down playing the outcome ahead of international meetings is a
common ploy - it was the same in the months before the Kyoto Protocol
was agreed similar - Oxfam warned against putting off the difficult
decisions.

"Every week of delay will only add to the cost of the crisis in
dollars and in the lives and livelihoods of the world's poorest people.
A fair, ambitious and binding climate deal is still possible in
Copenhagen if there is the political will. If rich countries deliver on
their promises they can still seal the deal in December" said Sande
Frandsen.