Climate Talks Stall Briefly as Poorer Nations Walk Out

International climate negotiations were halted for several hours on Monday when dozens of developing countries, including China and India, refused to take part, saying that the world’s richer countries were not doing enough to cut their greenhouse gas emissions.
The move was mostly tactical as the climate talks entered a more serious week, by the afternoon representatives from developing countries said they were ready to turn the stakes. Still, the threat of nonparticipation from richer and poorer nations caused problems.
"The plenary was suspended," said John Hay, spokesman for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the body sponsoring the negotiations. "The plenary was suspended. A slew of technical meetings have not taken place. Its an indication of how adamant the G-77 are about these issues."
This group of 77 nations includes most the world’s poorest countries. Not only does it include the poor nations it includes major economies such as China and India.
The Chief negotiator for India said that the group’s representatives were growing frustrated with how the conference leaders had been conducting negations.
Jake Schmidt, director of international climate programs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said, “This is all part of the negotiating dynamic, especially as you get close to the end game.”
The industrialized countries would spend $350 million over five years — $85 million of it coming from the United States — to spread renewable and nonpolluting energy technology in developing countries.
The depth of feeling about climate issues was clear Saturday when the police and organizers estimated that 60,000 to 100,000 participants joined a long march from Christiansborg Slotsplads, or Castle Square, southward to the Bella Center.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/science/earth/15climate.html?_r=1&ref=earth