International climate negotiations for a global climate treatyare not producing the required results in the given amount of timeleft before the Copenhagen conference in December, diminishing thehopes for a resolution at this conference.

Major polluters have already decided that the only way for aplan of this scale to take effect is to have steps towards thereduction of greenhouse gases instead of creating a plan whichtakes immediate affect and shuts down production facilities.Countries are likely to propose steps at the CopenhagenMeeting.

Yvo De Boer, a Dutch Diplomat, has been overseeing theproceedings so far. “There isn’t sufficient time to get the wholething done. But I hope it will go well beyond simply a declarationof principles. The form I would like it to take is the groundworkfor a ratifiable agreement next year,” commented Boer.

The 192 countries which make up the United Nations show the gapsin-between their ideas. Wealthier nations are planning to helppoorer countries with enforcing climate laws and investing in newertechnology. 16 of the largest polluters have already begun planningon aiding poorer countries.

Officials are attempting to narrow down issues which countriesagree on, such as certain steps and the common goal to limitemissions. Negotiators plan to discuss how the treaty will beupheld at Copenhagen. Diplomats have raised the question ofreliability, since most of the supporting countries have notenforced any binding climate legislation within their owncountries. Until it is shown that all countries participating willuphold the treaty, nations are unwilling to enforce a treaty withintheir own country.

Although there are hopes of progress in Copenhagen, observesnote that radical change is unlikely. “The most likely form anyagreement will take will be a political declaration,” said NigelPurvis, State Department climate negotiator during the ClintonAdministration and Bush administration.