Page 11 - atoday
P. 11
WORLD NEWS A11
Monday 19 October 2015
Tension ahead of last round of UN climate talks before Paris
KARL RITTER sions that scientists say are A bicycle taxi sits in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is cluding top emitters China,
Associated Press warming the planet. reported Sunday Oct. 18, 2015, high level U.N. climate negotia- the United States, the Eu-
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Afri- But the African countries, tors are scheduled to meet in Bonn, Germany to hammer out ropean Union and India —
can countries on Sunday many of which are among the final details ahead of final meetings in Paris, for what is envi- have already made volun-
dismissed an early draft the most vulnerable to cli- sioned to become the most ambitious agreement ever to fight tary pledges to cut or curb
of a U.N. climate accord mate impacts such as de- global warming. their emissions after 2020,
as “unbalanced” and de- sertification and sea level when the deal is supposed
manded amendments to rise, said the draft “cannot (AP Photo/Michel Euler) to take effect.
even consider it at the final be used as a basis for nego- But several analyses show
negotiating session before tiation, as it is unbalanced, tions get underway. there’s a fair basis for all,” those pledges won’t be
a landmark conference in and does not reflect the Af- enough to prevent levels
Paris. rican Group positions, and “Our position is not to de- he said. of warming that many con-
The move by the African crosses the group’s red- sider dangerous, so a key
bloc came on the eve of lines.” lay work, but to ensure that Some 150 countries — in- element of the Paris deal
week-long talks in Bonn, Group spokesman Seyni would be a mechanism to
Germany, on what’s envi- Nafo told The Associated raise those commitments
sioned to become the most Press that the African coun- over time. “We don’t want
ambitious agreement ever tries want more emphasis to make a picture, we want
to fight global warming. on financial support to help to make a movie,” Nether-
Delegates on Monday poor countries cope with lands climate envoy Michel
were supposed to start line- climate change. Rentenaar said, insisting
by-line editing a 20-page Nafo said the group was that the Paris agreement
draft that contains multiple confident that it would be cannot freeze the current
options on how to reduce allowed to make additions level of ambition on cli-
the greenhouse gas emis- to the text before negotia- mate action.q
Venezuela buys 25% stake in Antigua and Barbuda oil company
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua (AP) — whirlwind weekend Carib- the Petrocaribe program, The Caribbean nations vis- Venezuela is looking to in-
Venezuela announced Sat- bean tour that included which provides low-cost ited by Maduro are mem- crease cooperation with its
urday that its state-owned stops at three other nations oil financing to Caribbe- bers of the Petrocaribe pro- Caribbean neighbors.
oil company will buy a 25 — Suriname, St. Lucia and an and Central American gram, which critics say has “Petrocaribe is a reality
percent stake in West In- Grenada. He was meeting countries and invests in so- lost effectiveness with the and it is our starting point,
dies Oil Co. and that it will with their leaders to discuss cial development projects. drop in oil prices. our foundation to build a
establish a regional bank economic and social de- Executives at Venezuela’s Last March, Barclays ana- powerful economic zone,”
with the Antigua and Bar- velopment initiatives. state oil company, Petro- lysts estimated Venezu- Maduro said.
buda government to fund Venezuelan officials said leos de Venezuela SA, said ela had cut the program’s Antigua and Barbuda Prime
a new resort. the regional bank would the purchase of a stake in daily oil shipments in half, Minister Gaston Browne
The announcement came finance the new Simon Bo- West Indies Oil Co. was just to 200,000 barrels from said that he and Maduro
during a visit to Antigua by livar Resort Hotel and other the beginning of “joint in- 400,000. “agreed to work in various
Venezuelan President Nico- development projects us- vestments” between the Maduro defended the areas of cooperation.”q
las Maduro, who was on a ing resources generated by countries. program Saturday, saying
