Paris had to justify the manner in which she accounted for emissions

To restore confidence between the countries and push to make serious commitments, the negotiators in Copenhagen will attempt, in the first week, to advance on the way in which the action plans and policies of the countries will be controlled. In the new language of climate, it has even invented an acronym to refer to the fact that the emissions of each will be measured, deferred and verified, "VCR" (see below). In theory, all countries that have ratified the United Nations climate convention must have made about the initial situation of their country in 1990. On the 150 developing countries, 136 made the first report (that is available on the site of the climate convention), and only 12 released in a second. The Westerners, which made binding commitments, are in an annual report. Those of them who would not respect their promises will be, in theory, apply a kind of punishment. They must increase their efforts to 30 in the next commitment period, which would normally begin in 2012.

Problem: some signatories of the Kyoto Protocol, as the Canada, have already let their emissions, with an increase of 35 whereas the objective is to reduce by 6. And the Americans, who have not ratified Kyoto, refuse to apply the specific monitoring rules specific to this international treaty that the Obama Government refuses him also to endorse. For example, the misadventures of the France has remained famous in the small climate environment. Paris had to justify the manner in which she accounted for emissions... rearing of pigs, which was different from other countries to international inspectors.

"Americans see that their own climate bill will be verified by their administration and that he should trust them" says an expert, but they refuse to return to exactly the same rules as Kyoto. On the other hand, they ask China and the major emerging to accept international control on action plans implemented and the results obtained. What developing countries refuse with force, with respect for their own national sovereignty. Some fear that, while asking them to present plans of action, the international community submit them to strict obligations, of the same nature as the structural adjustment plans that the IMF requires consideration of financing.

Beijing arc-boute

The Chinese Government, which had rallied last week around him the South African representatives, Brazilians, and the Sudan, representative of the Group of countries (G77), says that only politicians who received financial assistance, but who have voluntarily decided by the countries, could eventually be checked. The debate is not far from being cultural, the Chinese Government not wanting that a foreign power may have a look at its own statistics. But, noted some, Beijing was disclosed to the Nations that United his figures of... 1994.

Against the background of these debates, discontent rises against the weakness of Western commitments, including all of the promises would reduce emissions "and" 12 to 16, also taking into account emissions from the forest sector. "Even taking the top of the range, it is still far from what claim scientists to avoid more than two degrees warming." "In addition, these promises use in their count the use of market mechanisms", say representatives of the French think-tank Iddri. For Europe, the promise of reducing its emissions by 20 not will be conducted on its territory to 15.