Doha climate talks: Will 'hot air' derail the process?

The right of some rich countries to keep using “hot air” carbon permits could hamper progress at UN climate talks starting on Monday in Qatar.
 
With the Kyoto Protocol running out at the end of the year, several countries want to carry over unused carbon allowances, BBC reports.
 
Campaigners say this “hot air” could render new carbon cuts meaningless.And there are fears that old fault lines between rich and poor will prevent any significant developments.
 
More than 17,000 participants are expected in the Qatari capital Doha for the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP18) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
 
Some surprise has been expressed at the choice of venue. Qatar, rich in oil and particularly gas, has some of the highest per-capita carbon emissions in the world.
 
But Nick Nuttall, a spokesman for the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep), told BBC News that he praised the “courage” of Qatar in hosting the meeting.
 
“Some of these countries that we thought in the past were not serious about climate change, were not into renewable energy, are now signalling very strongly that they want to be part of the solution.
 
“The signals we are getting from the Qatari administration is that they now want to start doing things on climate change and this is maybe their first big step.”   Read more... (234 words)

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