On Copenhagen's opening, urgent appeal for climate action

[Stacey King]

ABC RADIO AUSTRALIA Emma Alberici, with agencies Last Updated: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 17:10:00 +1100

The so-called "Climategate" row over leaked e-mails from Britain's University of East Anglia has been a key talking point at the opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

In his opening address, Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the Nobel prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has said the computer hackers were trying to undermine the panel's work.

"The recent incident of stealing the e-mails of scientists at the University of East Anglia shows that some would go to the extent of carrying out illegal acts, perhaps in an attempt to discredit the IPCC," he said.

Saudi Arabia's chief negotiator, Mohammed al-Sabban, has told the crowd that the e-mails had shaken trust in the work of scientists.

Meanwhile, a Fijian climate activist has made an emotional plea for a positive outcome at the global climate change talks.

Pacific urgency

Fijian environmentalist Leah Wickham delivered a petition signed by 10 million people to the summit, calling for a binding agreement at Copenhagen.

"We need a deal that is fair to the poorest people and nations - nations that have had little or nothing to do with the issue, but that will be affected the most," she said.

"We need a deal that secures a safe planet for all peoples and nations. We need a deal that is fair, ambitious and legally binding."

Climate change threats to low-lying atoll states, like Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Tuvalu face the prospect of becoming uninhabitable by 2060 due to rising seas, coastal erosion and rapid population growth, according to an independent agency.

A briefing paper by the Pacific Institute of Public Policy says climate change threatens the region in a way that may warrant declaring a state of emergency.

UN climate chief, Yvo de Boer, says while many developed nations have committed to a maximum global temperature increase of two degrees, anything above 1.5 will be suicide for small island nations.

He says without a deal at Copenhagen, these island nations will disappear.

The Solomon Islands' representative at the Copenhagen Climate Summit has also urged the world's leaders to reach a firm agreement.

The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment in the Solomon Islands, Rence Sore is in Copenhagen.

He says there's been enough talk and the summit must result in action.

Mr Sore says it's up to developed nations who have contributed to climate change to act and support poorer nations.

"They have to compensate for their historical responsibility. It is a moral obligation, a commitment on their part to at least assist small island developing countries who suffer the most," he said.

US regulations

In Washington, the United States Government has said it will begin regulating carbon dioxide as a dangerous pollutant.

The decision on Monday paves the way for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue standards on how much carbon US factories, buildings and cars can emit, even though legislation has yet to pass through the Congress.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson signed orders declaring six greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide blamed for global warming to be pollutants that are subject to government regulation.

"These are reasonable, common-sense steps," Ms Jackson said.

"It means that we arrive at the climate talks in Copenhagen with a clear demonstration of our commitment to facing this global challenge."

US President Barack Obama is expected to arrive in Copenhagen next week.