The Copenhagen Climate Conference has not been without disagreement.

Talks at the 15th United Nations (UN) Climate Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) came to a halt yesterday (14 December) as a number of African countries walked out in frustration.

The main session of the talks was suspended just before noon following protests led by the Africa Group (one of the five unofficial geopolitical regional groupings of the UN) – accusing developed countries of trying to dismiss the Kyoto Protocol.

Sources said that the five-hour boycott had the backing of the Group of 77 developing nations, and talks were only resumed after it was agreed that discussion of the Kyoto Protocol would not be sidelined as it had been so far during the conference.

Speaking of the walk-out, Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director of Oxfam International, said: “Africa has pulled the emergency cord to avoid a train crash at the end of the week. Poor countries want to see an outcome which guarantees sharp emissions reductions yet rich countries are trying to delay discussions on the only mechanism we have to deliver this – the Kyoto Protocol.

“This is not about blocking the talks – it is about whether rich countries are ready to guarantee action on climate change and the survival of people in Africa and across the world.”

Of the two tracks of negotiations underway in Copenhagen the Kyoto Protocol is the only one which includes a mechanism for legally binding emissions reductions by rich countries.

However, the United States, which refused to sign up to it in 1997, says that it is unfair as the binding targets do not apply to developing giants that are already huge emitters of greenhouse gases. China has now replaced the US as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, even though it is technically a developing nation.

At a press briefing on Monday at noon, UN’s Climate Chief Yvo de Boer said the Presidency of the conference would have informal talks with the negotiating parties in the early afternoon and that the talks would focus on the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol.

“The vast majority [of countries] want to see a continuation of the Kyoto Protocol,” Yvo de Boer said. “This is not just an African concern.”

On its website, COP15 states: “The UNFCCC’s history shows that countries can quickly move forward together, but also that they risk coming to a standstill because of internal disagreement. The ambition of the Danish government is that the COP15 conference in Copenhagen will result in an ambitious global agreement including all the countries of the world.”

Let’s hope that COP15 does not repeat this pattern of debilitating internal agreement – after all, we are all working towards exactly the same goals – to safeguard our planet for future generations.

Is the Kyoto Protocol essential to take things forward, or are informal promises to reduce emissions enough?

And should developing countries be made just as responsible as developed countries? Let us know your thoughts.