Today on New Scientist: 17 November 2009

Today’s stories on newscientist.com, at a glance, including: how to skydive safely without a parachute, the bold ambition of Wolfram Alpha, and the search for the perfect space glove

UN report condemns trial in DR Congo military court over killing of journalist

A United Nations report released today criticizes the judicial process in a Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) military court in connection with the trial of a murdered Congolese journalist, including the alleged bribery of the presiding judges.

Women’s empowerment in Africa targeted at UN-backed conference

A week-long United Nations-backed conference on achieving the equality and empowerment of women in Africa has opened in Banjul, The Gambia, with calls for an urgent revamping of current practices on the continent.

Green energy on rise across Africa but still lags behind other regions - UN

More green energy and climate-friendly projects target Africa than ever before, but the numbers still lag behind Asia and Latin America, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.

Zimbabwe News Update: President Mugabe Hails FAO; Mujuru, Nkomo Land VPPosts

President hails FAO

From Hebert Zharare in ROME, Italy

President Mugabe has thanked the Food and Agriculture Organisation for assisting Zimbabwe boost household food security through a US$70 million input facility targeting smallholder farmers.

Briefing the media after a meeting between President Mugabe and FAO director-general Mr Jacques Diouf here on Sunday, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Deve-lopment Minister Joseph Made said the exchanges had been fruitful.

“It was a very excellent meeting. His Excellency thanked FAO for assisting us in mobilising some farming inputs for the smallholder farmers under the US$70 million facility that is going to assist over 700 000 farmers.

“It (FAO) mobilised the farming inputs from some non-governmental organisations and was supported by some European Union countries,” he said.

He said one of the issues raised in the meeting was the need for governments to come up with policies that could be implemented.

Minister Made said President Mugabe pointed out that Zimbabwe had dealt with the challenge of declining rainfall by setting up a Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.

“During the meeting with Mr Diouf, we looked at Africa’s food security challenges in relation to development of irrigation schemes in order to enhance productivity on farms, support for the smallholder farmers by supplying them with seed, fertilizer and chemicals.

“It was agreed that US$65 billion is needed in order to develop water sources in Africa,” Minister Made said.

Due to climate change, conventional rains are no longer reliable and farmers have to complement them by establishing irrigation schemes.

Zimbabwe is one of a few countries on the continent to come up with strategies to boost irrigation capacity through the central bank-driven Farm Mechanisation Programme.

The efforts to improve irrigation infrastructure were also designed to recoup losses suffered when some white farmers vandalised equipment when their farms were allocated to new black farmers under the land reform programme.

President Mugabe had also told Mr Diouf that Zimbabwe had introduced its own input subsidies, Cde Made said.

He said under the subsidy, smallholder farmers would purchase a 50kg bag of fertilizer for US$6,75.

“After looking at a number of factors, we have said the smallholder farmers and those in communal areas must buy a 50kg bag of fertilizer for US$6,75 and seed for 51 US cents per kg.

He said details on how farmers could access these subsidised inputs would be disclosed shortly.

President Mugabe, who is the Head of State and Government as well as Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, will today address other world leaders attending the summit.

Mujuru, Nkomo land VP posts

By Lloyd Gumbo

ZANU-PF national chairman Cde John Nkomo has all but wrapped the Vice-Presidency after winning support from six provinces that nominated him as the ideal candidate to fill the post that fell vacant following the death of fearless founding nationalist, Vice President Joseph Msika, in August.

Bulawayo, Mashonaland Central, Manicaland, Masvi-ngo, Matabeleland South and North have already confirmed Cde Nkomo despite the latter submitting two nominations for the post.

This means the two posts of Vice-President are all but secured after VP Mujuru received the endorsement of eight provinces apart from Masvingo, which nominated Cde Oppah Muchinguri, and Midlands, which was still to nominate candidates.

In an interview yesterday, Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa said the nominations had gone well and in line with party procedures.

He, however, said the Midlands Province — which did not sit for the nominations last week — had not officially communicated to him their position and thus he expected nominations from all provinces by the end of this week as outlined in the guidelines.

A senior party official in Matabeleland North who spoke on condition of anonymity said the province had nominated two candidates for each post — VP and chairman — because some cadres refused to go for a vote to nominate the two candidates only and decided to submit all the four names.

Attention has now been turned to the chairmanship race where a fierce tussle is now expected among senior party cadres — Cdes Mutasa, Simon Khaya Moyo, Obert Mpofu and Kembo Mohadi.

However, a political analyst yesterday argued that the real race was between Cde Mutasa and Cde Khaya Moyo with the former counting on yet to nominate provinces.

He lamented failure by other provinces to nominate candidates for the VP and national chairman posts, saying this was tantamount to “match-fixing” as their choices would be influenced by other provinces.

He argued that the rule was that all provinces should nominate at the same time to avoid cases of undue influence from other provinces as their choices were to be autonomous.

“The real battle is between Cde Mutasa and Cde Khaya Moyo without taking anything away from the other cadres.

“To me, these are the comrades who are contending for the post seriously. However, concern is around the failure by other provinces to nominate candidates to fill such posts as VP and chairman.

“Cde Mutasa will obviously be counting on yet to nominate provinces, especially Harare, Mash East and West and Midlands, because information on the ground is that these provinces are supporting him, while Cde Khaya Moyo will keep his fingers crossed for Masvingo and Mat North to change their minds.”

In separate interviews, Cde Amos Midzi (Harare) and Cde Ignatius Chombo (Mashonaland West) said they were awaiting Matabeleland region to advise them on their nominations.

Cde Midzi — who is the Zanu-PF provincial chairman for Harare — said they deferred their nominations for the two posts to allow Matabeleland region to nominate as per party guidelines.

“We are still waiting for official communication from our colleagues on what position to take. Matabeleland hasn’t officially communicated their position, so we will wait.

“We don’t rely on unofficial information which comes through newspapers. The party has structures of communication,” Cde Midzi said.

Cde Chombo, who is the party’s provincial secretary for lands in Mashonaland West, said they were also awaiting indications from Matabeleland region before carrying out their own verifications.

He was, however, confident that they would be able to meet Saturday’s deadline when the nominations would be submitted to the party’s secretary for administration.

“Nothing has been officially communicated from Matabeleland as of now on whom they have nominated for the two posts.

“However, we are confident that we will complete the process within the time stipulated by the secretary for administration,” Cde Chombo said.

Nominations for the Presidium and Central Committee members began on Saturday and full lists are expected on Saturday when the secretary for administration receives them from the provinces.

Regional military training crucial: Mnangagwa

Herald Reporter

Cross-pollination of ideas between armies in the region is of great importance as it fosters unity in the face of common enemies, Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

Addressing 56 Junior Staff Course graduates at the Zimbabwe Staff College in Harare last week, Minister Mnangagwa said regional military training programmes were vital to development and security.

“It is important that forces belonging to a regional body train together as this provides them with an opportunity to share ideas and understand each other.

“The skills and knowledge they acquire will be of great help to them when they conduct joint peacekeeping missions,” he said.

Minister Mnangagwa said continuous training would help to improve efficiency and professional standards.

“The main objective of the course was to equip you with the requisite knowledge and skills necessary for your success in the uniformed forces.

“It was also aimed at moulding you into versatile and proficient officers in the areas of tactics, logistics, leadership, training and general management,” he said.

He urged the graduates to maintain high standards of discipline that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was renowned for.

Minister Mnangagwa urged the foreign students to be good ambassadors for Zimbabwe when they returned to their countries.

“Before you came here, you heard several bad things about Zimbabwe, but now that you have been here for 20 weeks, you definitely got a real picture of Zimbabwe,” he said.

Zimbabwe Staff College commandant Brigadier-General Thomas Moyo said the course was aimed at grooming the next generation of army leaders.

“The course was aimed at grooming the officers to be able to successfully tackle challenges and command men on the battlefield.

“The officers are the future leaders of the 21st century, thus it is important that they are well-versed with latest war trends and skills. “Their curriculum included tactical, administration, peace support operations and the law of armed conflict,” he said.

‘Desist from seeking external support on political disputes’

Herald Reporter

ZIMBABWEANS have been urged to desist from seeking external support to solve internal political disputes, as this would compromise and undermine the country’s sovereignty.

Addressing Joint Command and Staff Course number 22 students at the Zimbabwe Staff College in Harare yesterday, Democratic Republic of Congo Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Mawampanga Mwanananga said Zimbabweans should solve their own problems without external interference.

“It is not wise to internationalise your country’s problems and politics just to gain worldwide sympathy and intervention.

“Foreign assistance always brings its problems, chief among them, it undermines national sovereignty and security. We should only seek advice and guidance and not to be told what to do by external forces,” he said.

He also said African nations should join hands in fighting poverty rather than relying on international assistance from Western powers.

“Africa must unite and increase trade among its members rather than trading with Westerners. The region has vast resources, which if properly administered will greatly improve the whole region from its current status to be the richest.

“We are our own saviours, let us work together like brothers and sisters who share the same continent and resources,” he said.

Mr Mwanananga paid tribute to the Sadc region for its assistance during the time of conflict saying Western powers were there to destabilise so that they plunder resources at will. He also hailed the agreement between Zimbabwe and DRC of free movement of the nations’ citizens, saying the move is a positive development that promoted unity.

Zimbabwe Staff College invites foreign high profile dignitaries to present lectures about their countries foreign and defence policies to military students, among other issues.

Bennett’s trial opens

Court Reporter

THE High Court has ordered the State not to lead hearsay evidence in MDC-T treasurer Roy Bennett’s trial on allegations of possessing dangerous weapons and inciting acts of terrorism and insurgency.

Justice Chinembiri Bhunu also turned down an application by the defence for his recusal from hearing the trial.

Bennett’s lawyer, Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, had sought Justice Bhunu’s recusal, arguing that he once presided over Bennett’s alleged accomplice Peter Michael Hitch-mann’s bail application.

The court found that there would be no prejudice to Bennett and that the trial should start immediately.

Bennett yesterday entered a plea of not guilty and Attorney-General Mr Johannes Tomana called the State’s first witness, Chief Inspector James Makone, to testify.

While he was giving evidence, Ms Mtetwa raised an objection when he was about to tell the court what Hitschmann said to him during a search for weapons at his house.

Justice Bhunu ruled that the witnesses should restrict themselves to what they did rather than telling the court what they heard from Hitschmann.

The State has lined up 13 witnesses — including Hitschmann — to testify.

It is understood that most of the witnesses’ evidence hinges on Hitschmann’s statement.

Justice Bhunu said if Hitschmann’s statement was not admitted in his own trial, it would be absurd to use it against Bennett.

He said the State should first satisfy the court that the evidence was admissible against Hitschmann himself before it could be used against Bennett.

After that ruling on inadmissibility of hearsay evidence, Mr Tomana asked for a postponement to prepare the State case, saying they had not anticipated the development.

The trial continues today with Chief Insp Makone concluding his testimony.

Chief Insp Makone narrated to the court how he arrested Hitschmann in 2006.

He said he was part of a team of police and State security agents who arrested Hitschmann at a fast food outlet in Mutare.

Chief Insp Makone said they recovered a pistol and over 2 000 rounds of ammunition and proceeded to Hitschmann’s house where they recovered more weapons.

He was stopped before telling more.

In his defence, Bennett denied committing the said offence, saying that Hitschmann had since disowned the statement on which the State is relying.

Ms Mtetwa said none of the State witnesses had evidence incriminating Be-nnett.

Bennett denied possessing the said weapons, alleging that the charges were trumped up by his political opponents who were determined to block him from taking up the post of Deputy Agriculture Mini-ster in the inclusive Government.

He denied having communicated with Hitschmann via e-mail, saying that evidence could have been created and doctored by State agents.

The court also heard that Hitschmann once publicly vowed not to testify in the case.

Hitschmann’s lawyer, Mr Mordecai Mahlangu, tried to stop the AG from summoning his client as a witness and was arrested on a charge of defeating the course of justice.

He is awaiting trial.

Honduran Accord Fails as Right-wing Maneuvers to Prevent Zelaya’sRestoration

Honduran accord fails as Right-wing maneuvers to prevent Zelaya’s restoration

By Berta Joubert-Ceci
Published Nov 13, 2009 8:15 PM

Nov. 9—”With or without Mel [Zelaya] there are no elections and who goes forward is the Resistance. Let’s go into the neighborhoods. … Our only way out is the Resistance because together, we will never be defeated. My struggle began in 1954 and now we can talk and say that we are revolutionaries. … We can now send to hell this Constitution that does not serve us. Until victory comrades, do not dismay, let us go forward now or never! Until the final victory!”

Dionisia Sanchez, the Grandmother of the Resistance and example of Honduran people’s fierce will to struggle, said these words on Nov. 9, after the Resistance met and decided not to participate in the general elections of Nov. 29, even if President Manuel Zelaya was reinstated to office.

At the time this article is being written, no resolution to the dangerous crisis in Honduras has been attained. The illegal usurper government of Roberto Micheletti continues holding on to power at all costs—in spite of having signed, on Oct. 30, the Tegucigalpa-San Jose Accord, which would have restored the legitimate president, Zelaya, to office before the elections.

Micheletti unilaterally announced on Nov. 5 the formation of a “Government of Reconciliation” presided over by Micheletti, and without Zelaya. This government body was proposed by the accord as a unitary government that would have included representatives from both Zelaya and the golpistas (coup plotters). After this action, President Zelaya publicly announced the termination of the accord and the end of any possibility of dialogue with the de facto government.

Micheletti made his announcement even before the National Congress decided on the reinstitution of Zelaya. Loyal to the golpistas, the congress had delayed the voting, with many excuses, in an obvious maneuver to stall the return of Zelaya to power. These underhanded actions were even witnessed by the “Verification Commission” present in Tegucigalpa, a formation mandated by the accord that would have had the duty of ensuring that the accord was carried out.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis was part of that commission.

Reaction of the Resistance

The Resistance, which for the last few days has been demonstrating daily in front of the National Congress, met to decide its position on the elections. They issued a communiqué on Nov. 9 stating that they reject the electoral process and that “participation in it would give legitimacy to the golpista regime or its successor who would fraudulently take office on Jan. 27, 2010.”

They refuse to participate even if President Zelaya is reinstated to office because “20 days or less give little time to dislodge the electoral fraud that was concocted to assure that a representative of the golpista oligarchy is installed to continue their antidemocratic and repressive project.”

They also charge the United States with complicity with the golpistas. At the same time, the Resistance reaffirmed their continued struggle to reinstate Zelaya and for a new constitution.

The independent candidate for president on behalf of the Resistance, Carlos H. Reyes, withdrew from the race for the same reasons.

What is behind the elections?

It is telling that immediately after the signing of the accord and before any substantial progress, both U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her envoy, Thomas Shannon, hailed the treaty as a done deal. Hugo Llorens, U.S. ambassador in Tegucigalpa, also immediately called for the international recognition of the Nov. 29 elections. To this date, the U.S. is almost completely isolated on this position.

Why such a rush? What is Washington’s interest?

There are several U.S. lobby firms that work on behalf of the Micheletti government, the Honduran Association of Maquiladores and the Latin American Business Council, Honduras Chapter—representing, in the end, the financial and geopolitical interests of the United States. Among these firms are Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates; The Corman Group; Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP; and Visión Américas. Lanny Davis, former legal advisor to Bill Clinton, and Roger Noriega, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for western hemispheric affairs, work in some of these firms.

Besides these firms, there is a very powerful “non-governmental” agency, the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Its website describes it as “an innovative and independent U.S. foreign aid agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty. Created by the U.S. Congress in January 2004 with strong bipartisan support, MCC is changing the conversation on how best to deliver smart U.S. foreign assistance by focusing on good policies, country ownership, and results.”

It is said in many circles in Honduras that the U.S. has a preferred candidate, Elvin Santos. Santos was Liberal Party vice-president under Zelaya but resigned last December in order to run for the presidency. He opposed Zelaya’s call for a Constitutional Assembly.

Santos is also from the oligarchy, a construction engineer whose family owns one of the largest construction companies in the country, Santos y Compañía. This company signed a $7.5 million contract with MCC (part of a $215-million MCC contract with Honduras) to improve transportation. Specifically, the contract was for the construction of Highway CA-5 that links Tegucigalpa with San Pedro Sula, the country’s main industrial area, and with Puerto Cortes on the northern Caribbean coast, the largest and only deepwater port in Central America. Highway CA-5 also connects in the south with the Port of Cutuco, on El Salvador’s Pacific coast.

This highway is part of the Atlantic Corridor of the International Network of Mesoamerican Highways, which is the transportation aspect of the Plan Puebla Panama. The plan is yet another attempt by the U.S. to steal the resources of the people in Central America, as well as Mexico and Colombia. It is presented as an integration project, but the purpose is to facilitate transportation through the area, from Mexico to Colombia, of U.S. products and merchandise assembled or made in the area, particularly in the infamous maquiladoras.

It’s a funnel to extract the wealth from Latin America toward the U.S.

Who is the chair of the MCC? None other than Hillary Clinton. Also on the MCC board are Timothy F. Geithner, U.S. secretary of the treasury and vice-chair of the MCC board, and Alonzo L. Fulgham, acting U.S. Agency for International Development administrator.

It is clear that the United States, by accepting the results of the elections beforehand, wants to guarantee the presence in the Honduras government of a representative of the pro-U.S. oligarchy that is invested in the capitalist exploitation of the masses. Even if Santos does not win, the other golpista candidates are loyal to the same oligarchy.

The tremendous power of the entrepreneurial sector in Honduras was explained by Carlos H. Reyes during a long and enlightening conversation while this writer was in Honduras in October with the U.S. Delegation of Labor, Community and Clergy in Solidarity with the Honduran Resistance. Reyes is the president of the STIBYS union of beverage industry and other workers. He was home recovering from an assault by the police during one of the Resistance demonstrations, in which his right wrist was severely fractured.

He explained the urgent need for a new constitution, and the passion with which the Resistance demands a Constitutional Assembly became very clear.

He explained that the current constitution was drafted during the 1980s, when the U.S. waged war against Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua under the criminal and vicious leadership of John Negroponte. Its purpose was to “sell the country” (privatize), reduce the state and put the military instead of the people in charge of upholding the constitution. In sum, it was a constitution to benefit the corporations and their stockholders.

Reyes exposed how power and wealth were transferred during these years. In 1981, the transnational corporations and landowners had 40 percent of the power, the state 40 percent and the people 20 percent. Now, 28 years later, the transnationals hold 75 percent, the state 20 percent and the people 5 percent. Because of the reduction of income, the state cannot afford services to the masses.

Reyes explained that Honduras is “a fiscal and labor paradise” because of low wages, the increase of temporary and subcontracted labor with absolutely no benefits or job security, and the enormous concessions to the corporations, which really control the government and run the country on their own behalf. This has resulted in the pauperization of the masses, but has been an enormously profitable experience for U.S. companies.

That is why President Zelaya’s plans to change the constitution and raise the minimum wage were so vehemently opposed by the Honduran oligarchy and the U.S.

U.S. plans more of the same in Latin America

The recent struggle in Honduras has been an attempt by the United Sates to put a hold on the progressive popular advances in Latin America, and particularly against the participating countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA). That is the view of most Latin American presidents who have opposed the Honduras military coup from day one and who hold the U.S. responsible for not ending the coup. The U.S. is Honduras’ largest trading and military partner.

This coup has reinvigorated the right-wing oligarchies around the region that are associated with the U.S.

On Oct. 30, a military treaty was signed between Colombia and the U.S. giving the U.S. complete access to that country, including seven bases, among them the enormous Palanquero base close to the capital. It was not until Nov. 2, after the agreement was signed, that it was publicly released, even though Latin American countries had requested it. In Panama, there are talks for opening four air and navy bases to which the U.S. will have access.

Many consider the bases a threat to peace in the region, and a very dangerous precedent that announces the intent of the United States to wage war against the countries that are “anti-U.S.,” as exposed in an official document of the Air Force Department regarding the Palanquero Air Base. In it, the document cites the “constant threat … of the anti-U.S. governments.” (www.centrodealerta.org)

In Paraguay, President Fernando Lugo had to substitute the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force with personnel in whom he was confident after rumors of a coup attempt by the right wing, which opposes Lugo’s progressive reforms.

But the United States does not realize that, as Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa said, this is not a time of changes, but a change of times—referring to the tremendous uprising of the masses defending their sovereignty and opposing U.S. imperialism.

Next: More on Colombia, Panama and Venezuela.
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Icelandic gene saga ends in bankruptcy

Personalised genomics biotech deCODE Genetics has filed for bankruptcy, reports Andy Coghlan

Yellow fever vaccination drive to cover almost 12 million West Africans - UN

The largest-ever mass vaccination campaign protecting populations from the dangerously infectious yellow fever disease will begin next week across three West African countries, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) announced today.

Copenhagen must set date for treaty, says Denmark’s environment minister

Connie Hedegaard tells negotiators it is important to set the deadline for a legally binding agreement ‘as soon as possible’
Associated Press
guardian.co.uk, Monday 16 November 2009 13.13 GMT
Next month’s summit on climate change in Copenhagen must set a deadline for a legally binding document, Denmark’s climate minister said today.
Connie Hedegaard said it is very important to set the deadline “as soon as possible” in the text to be agreed upon in the Danish capital. She spoke at the start of a two-day closed meeting of climate negotiators from nearly 40 countries who are preparing for the Copenhagen UN summit, which starts on 7 December.
The head of the UN climate change secretariat, Yvo de Boer, said participants at the Copenhagen meeting must come up with “a series of clear decisions” in order to have a treaty within six months of the conference ending. It would be designed to replace the 1997 Kyoto protocol, which expires in 2012.
Yesterday, Barack Obama supported plans to delay a legally binding deal until next year at the earliest, pushing for next month’s meeting to become a first-stage series of commitments rather than an all-encompassing protocol. Michael Froman, US deputy national security adviser for economic affairs, said: “There was a realistic assessment … by the leaders that it was unrealistic to expect a full internationally legally binding agreement to be negotiated between now and when Copenhagen starts in 22 days.”
Germany also said today that Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to attend the summit on its final two days, after annoucements last week by leaders including Gordon Brown and the Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd, that they would be attending. Merkel’s spokesman, Christoph Steegmans, said the chancellor does not expect the meeting to produce a legally binding accord to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but that she expects “an important step toward a treaty” to be made. Merkel was instrumental in securing the Kyoto protocol, which was approved while she served as Germany’s environment minister.
The Danish prime minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, is urging world leaders to attend the conference, which has been billed by many as a last chance to halt dangerous climate change. Obama has yet to confirm he will be going, though this month he said he would attend if countries were on “the brink of a meaningful agreement”.

Why the Copenhagen conference will be 10 times more difficult than Kyoto

At Kyoto, we knew every final detail wouldn’t be agreed at the negotiations. This time, we need an even greater consensus

John Prescott
guardian.co.uk, Monday 16 November 2009 17.47 GMT
Listening to Denmark’s environment minister, Connie Hedegaard’s comments about Copenhagen today takes me back 12 years to the lead up to Kyoto.
At Kyoto, we knew every final detail wouldn’t be agreed at the negotiations. The important thing was to agree on principles – in Kyoto’s case, on targets for emissions cuts – that could later be nailed down in a final legally binding agreement. But even though the deal agreed in Kyoto was a political one rather than a legal one, it still took until the 11th hour to strike an agreement between the three major players – the US, Japan and Europe.
The original proposal for a 5% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2012 (on 1990 levels) was quite rightly felt not to be sufficient. With the help of Al Gore, we managed to get the Japanese to go to 6%, provided it was less than the US. The US agreed to accept 7% as long as it was less than Europe, which we then set at 8% in order to secure an agreement.
That was the principle agreed on emissions cuts and later finalised during the next three years in what became known as the Kyoto protocol. The principle was to agree and later finalise at the following “conferences of the parties” (COPs – Copenhagen is number 15, hence COP15).
So the lesson I’ve learned from Kyoto for Copenhagen is that we were never going to be able to dot all the i’s and cross the t’s.
However, Kyoto involved 47 countries. Copenhagen will cover 190 countries where an even greater consensus will be required. That’s why I say it will be 10 times more difficult than Kyoto.
My recent discussions in the US with Obama’s people and Congress members in September, talks in Europe with the Council of Europe, my meetings with China’s environmental team as well as discussions in Abu Dhabi with ministers from the Arab oil producing countries last week, convince me all the more that my earlier judgment was right – that we will get an agreement in principle.
I also believe that the EU/China summit, which takes place in a fortnight, has the potential, especially after China’s bilateral discussions with Obama, to help secure that agreement at Copenhagen.
Today, Hedegaard was speaking realistically about the need to prevent a breakdown at Copenhagen and emphasised the need for a framework for a roadmap that will, eventually, implement the principles of a binding agreement.
Now is a time for the art of the possible and that’s the role of the negotiator – to achieve far more than the doomsayers predict, as we saw at Kyoto. At Kyoto when pressed by the journalists wanting an instant response on how the talks were going, I always said: “I’m walking and talking.”
So forget about doom and gloom. Let’s all keeping walking and talking towards an agreement.
• John Prescott was an EU negotiator at Kyoto. He is the Council of Europe’s climate change rapporteur and runs the New Earth Deal campaign.