Copenhagen, Dec 18 (DPA) Brazil is willing to pay poor countries to help them fight climate change in a bid to kick-start global talks, the country’s president said Friday as he said that he was frustrated with the limping pace of United Nation negotiations in Copenhagen.
The move ups Brazil’s negotiating power in the down-to-the-wire talks as one of the few major developing powers to pledge public funding to poorer states – a key demand of developed powers.
“If it is necessary for us to make more sacrifices, Brazil is willing to put forward money to help other countries. We will do it,” Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told over 120 heads of state and government on the final day of the UN summit.
“I am a little bit frustrated. Why so? Because for a long time we have been discussing the climate-change issue,” he said.
The talks have staggered along in recent days, beset by rows between developed and developing countries over issues ranging from the amount of money rich states should pay poor ones to the proper format in which to hold negotiations.
Lula made it clear how frustrated he was with the process, comparing it with his time as a union leader in his homeland.
“Why did we face all these difficulties? Because we did not take care in advance to work with the responsibility that was necessary,” he said.
“I believe… in miracles. A miracle can happen, and I want to be part of that miracle, but so that this miracle could happen we need to take into account” the basic format of agreements drawn up by negotiators, Lula said.
He acknowledged that countries which provide funds to help others fight climate change should be allowed to monitor how their money is spent – another demand of rich nations.
But he stressed that any such supervision should respect the rights of the recipients themselves – a crucial demand of developing states.
“Countries which contribute funds have the right to demand transparency… but we need to be very careful with this intrusion in the developing countries,” Lula argued.
