China and US blamed as climate talks stall | Environment | guardian.co.uk

China and US blamed as climate talks stall | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Progress on a climate deal is held back by tough stances of the world's two biggest carbon polluters. The head of US delegation, Jonathan Pershing, at the Tianjin climate change talks. China and the US have been accused of holding back progress.

China and the US were today accused of holding back progress on a climate deal as talks in Tianjin crashed into a series of procedural roadblocks. On the penultimate day, negotiators said they have moved forward on technical issues, including a finance package and the subject of technology transfer, but the goal of a deal to replace or extend the Kyoto protocol remained a distant prospect.

The world's two biggest polluters, which together account for more than 40% of global emissions, have clashed this week over the form an agreement should take, the timing of next steps and how to enshrine and verify emissions targets. The United States wants to move forward from the Copenhagen accord agreement made last December by coordinating national commitments to reduce emissions and instituting a rigorous regime to ensure compliance.

China is keen to protect a two-track approach in which richer countries make the first and biggest moves to reflect their greater responsibility for climate change.