THE Copenhagen summit is unlikely to produce a “signed and sealed” climate change solution because leading countries are not ready to commit, the Environment Agency’s chief will claim today.
Lord Smith is calling for a reality check on the UN gathering, saying a treaty with “clear targets and measurable rapid reductions in emissions” is doubtful this year.
In his keynote address at the Environment Agency’s annual conference in central London, he will say Copenhagen “won’t solve all the issues – some of the most significant emissions countries aren’t yet ready to conclude a deal, not least the US, where the Senate won’t have made its decisions until the New Year.”
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he was working hard to ensure a global deal.
But Lord Smith says the summit must not be the last word in achieving a climate change solution but a “crucial start”.
