UN Climate Conference in Cancún

The UN conference on climate change, inaugurated on Monday in Cancun (eastern Mexico), opened 12 days of discussing and intends to restore credibility to a process of international negotiations weakened by the failure in Copenhagen last year.

Army troops and police in Mexico, supported by three warships, part of the security arrangements around the hotel Moon Palace, a complex on the seafront, where is the conference to be held for the next 12 days.

The word Cancún means "golden snake", but there is no poison in this Yucatan paradise kissed by the sun. Mexico's most famous destination, Cancun delights with its incredible beaches with crystal waters and white sand: You can ride along the coast, diving free canoe in a reserve and swim with dauphins. Along with various bars and restaurants can be found.


But more than a walk on the beach, there are advances that must occur from now on in Mexico. Opened the meeting which follows the failure of COP-1, environmentalists charge seriousness in the work; despite being almost impossible to establish a legal and valid agreement in Cancun to limit temperature increasing to 2 ° C - considered by scientists as a relatively safe level.
U.S. and China are the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases, and charge each other more effective measures to reduce their emissions. A new failure in this year's conference will launch serious doubts about the future of the Kyoto Protocol, which stresses the importance of the market for carbon emissions as a form of control.


One possibility for global climate policy would be to extend the Kyoto Protocol, which requires reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases by developed countries.
The U.S., the largest emitter among developed countries do not participate in this treaty. The signatories say they would accept further reduce their emissions by 2020, replacing the use of fossil fuels by renewable energies, since the U.S. and large emerging economies like India and China, also assume the obligation to make reductions.
The big developing countries, however, argue that reducing emissions - and therefore power consumption - would undermine its efforts to combat poverty. They argue that rich nations have benefited from more pollutant emission, and therefore should bear the burden of fighting climate change.