Brazil Not Hopeful on Climate Change Summit

Brasilia, Oct 27. -Brazil is not very hopeful about reaching agreements at November's climate change summit in Mexico, and the United States would set a bad example if it comes without proposals, said Foreign Minister Celso Amorin.

"Expectations for Cancun (Mexico) are limited. We do not expect to reach any important agreements," said Amorin during a meeting of the Brazilian Forum on Climate Change according to a report by Agencia Brazil.

He said one of the main reasons for pessimism regarding the coming Conference of the Parts of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is that the United States will arrive at the summit without having approved a national law on the subject.

The lack of a commitment by Washington serves as "a bad example" for other countries involved in the negotiations, Amorin explained.

The 2009 summit in Copenhagen, Denmark concluded without a formal agreement on world reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Despite low expectations, "We may make small advances, consolidate others and prevent retraction of commitments achieved in Kyoto," Amorin stated.

Referring to his country, the minister assured that Brazil would attend with a high level of moral authority for having achieved, together with other nations, the only tentative formal agreement in Copenhagen.

Amorin declared that "we will not hide behind anyone. Brazil agrees with a 50 percent reduction of emissions (greenhouse effect gases) until 2050, which goes far beyond what other countries agreed to."  (Prensa Latina)