“Less than 2 US Dollars of fast aid on average is not even enough for buying a coffin..." (by Scully Meng)

“Less than 2 US Dollars of fast aid on average is not even enough for buying a coffin..."

Deputy Chief Negotiator Su Wei said, the price level at Copenhagen is really high, a fast track of 10billion US dollars shared by the world pupulation will end up to be 2 dollars per person, not even enough to buy a cup of coffee here. A foreign colleague has interpreted as "coffin" though...

On the sencond day of COP15, Su Wei has criticised the EU, US, Japan and the major developed countries during the media briefing.

"The EU should not always compare to China. They should compare to the figure they have committed to in KP for the first commitment period." Said Su Wei, when talking about EU's query regarding China's reduction figure.

Considering the historical GHG emission of developed countries in the past 200 years of industrialisation process, China considers the reduction commitment of EU, US, Japan and other major developed countries in their second commitment period still lower than expectation. Su Wei has given the reporters relevant figures: EU's target of 20% reduction on the 1990 level is equivalent to an annual reduction of 1.05%. This is less than a half of their 2.48% average annual reduction target in their first commitment period. Even if the commitment increases to 30%, this is still only equivalent to an annual reduction of 1.93%. In the face of the self-claimed "ambitious" targets, EU is still comparing its own duties to China's voluntary reduction actions, Su Wei says, "EU is not kind at all".

Regarding Japan's 25% reduction target based on 1990 level, Su Wei thinks that there are still concerns despite the progress. Firstly, one of the conditoins associated with Japan's commitment is a reduction commitment by China, and KP states that developing countries do not have reduction obligations, therefore the requirement of Japan has violated KP. Secondly Japan has required the US to join KP, this is an impossible condition, therefore Japan's target does not need to be commited to given the conditions not realised. Even if eventually the conditions are fulfilled and Japan has commited, Su Wei still casts doubts on the figures: Japan is very likely to achieve its target by a substantial purchase of carbon credit or increase in carbon-sink program, instead of solid carbon reduction actions.

"At the current moment, the commitment of the US will determine the final outcome of COP15," Su Wei said, but the reduction of 17% based on 2005 level of the US is hardly a substantial reduction target, same as the EU. In fact, the CO2 emission of the US from 1990 to 2005 has grown substantially, to 16%, therefore the current commitment is only a 1% reduction at 1990 level.

Regarding another important issue, financing, Su Wei said, even if the finance provided by "fast track" of 10billion US dollars by 2012 has a large total sum, it is hard to help the developing countires with an enormous population. "If we share the money with everyone in the world, we get less than 2 US dollars per person, this is not even enough to buy a cup of coffee in Cophenhagen." Su Wei told the reporter.

Su Wei has always emphasised the truth of China being a developing country. The current mission of developing countries are still economic development, poverty elimination, achieving sustainable developement, whilst the developed countries has the capability and historical responsibility to pioneer in taking reduction actions. If they abandon KP and Bali Action Plan whilst push developing countries for reduction commitments, this is definitely not a positive signal for global action in fighting climate change.