Africa considering tough demands

According to a draft text, 50 African countries are considering demanding five percent of rich nations' GDPs for developing countries, plus deep emission cuts, reports Danish daily Politiken.
Marianne Bom - 12/12/2009 - The African Group is discussing tough financial demands of the developed countries at the UN climate conference.

In a draft text quoted by Danish daily Politiken, the group of 50 countries proposes that rich countries pay five percent of their GDPs to developing countries in support for their fight against climate change.

Asking for five percent would be a very ambitious demand, compared to the funding so far mentioned at the climate negotiations. Five percent of the United States’ GDP alone amounts to 722 billion US dollars (2008 figures). In comparison, the EU has calculated the developing countries’ total need for climate funding to 130 billion dollars (100 billion euro) annually by 2020.

According to the draft, the African Group asks for 400 billion dollars for developing countries from 2010-2012, while the UN estimates the need to be 10 billion dollars each of the three years.

Finally, the text – dated 11 Dec. – suggests that rich countries cut emissions by 50 percent by 2017 compared to 1990 levels, rising to 65 percent by 2020, which are much deeper cuts than offered so far during the negotiations.

The 50 African countries now debate what numbers should be posted in the final text, Politiken reports. The African Group had announced a press briefing on Saturday, however the chairman of the group, Algerian Kamel Djemouai, never turned up, writes www.politiken.dk.

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Global activists: Seal the deal Saturday is “great demo day” globally – especially in Copenhagen, host city of the UN climate conference. Organizers forecast up to 80,000 marching for a climate deal in the Danish capital.

Marianne Bom - 12/12/2009 - Environmentalists from all over the world have traveled to Copenhagen during the last few days to participate in what is planned for Saturday afternoon as a large-scale demonstration calling for a global climate deal.

The demonstration, masterminded by 515 organizations from 67 countries, will start with music and speeches at the Danish parliament at 1 p.m. From the Copenhagen city center, up to 80,000 participants – according to the organizers – will continue on a six kilometer march to Bella Center, the venue hosting the UN climate change conference.

Danish model and climate activist Helena Christensen, Bollywood actor Rahul Bose of India, and Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo will all be part of the climate cortege. And at the end of the demonstration, former Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa will lead a candlelight vigil, one of some 3,000 set to take place in 130 countries around the world.

Danish police have for days been massively present in the streets of Copenhagen, ready to suppress potentially violent episodes. The police expect between 40,000 and 60,000 to participate in the demo on Saturday.

“We strive to be as little visible as possible,” a police spokesperson told the Danish daily Politiken, but shopkeepers along the route and in other parts of the city were informed to prepare for possible trouble.

In other countries, demonstrations have already taken place on Saturday.

In Australia (photo above), organizers said 50,000 people had taken to the streets, wearing sky-blue shoelaces in a call for a strong and binding agreement at UN talks in Copenhagen, AFP reports.

Demonstrations were also reported in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Afghanistan – in what might in the space of 24 hours become a global civic call for a climate deal in Copenhagen.

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