Greenland is considering being represented by G77 at COP15

Friday, 28 August 2009 11:14

According to Danish daily Berlingske Tidende, Greenland, which is a self-ruled part of the Kingdom of Denmark, is threatening to turn its back on the Danes at the Copenhagen climate conference in December and instead go to the negotiating table with a group of developing countries, the so-called G77.

The island of Greenland is not an independent country, and is therefore represented by Denmark in international negotiations such as December’s climate summit, but the Greenlandic do not feel that Denmark would adequately represent their interests at the Copenhagen meeting.

The G77 is made up of poor countries that often have very low levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenland feels that, similar to the G77, it should be allowed to pollute more rather than less. The current agreement between Denmark and Greenland states that the Greenlandic must bring down their CO2-emmissions by eight per cent during 2008-2012 in comparison with 1990 levels.

Denmark will not agree to Greenland raising its emission levels, unless polluting Greenlandic businesses pay for this in the form of CO2 quotas, which may cost in the billions.

The Greenlandic announcement comes from home rule president Kuupik Kleist in connection with a climate conference in the town of Nuuk.

“Greenland reserves the right to stand outside an agreement, if the conditions of the agreement mean economic sanctions on countries such as Greenland, who are trying to develop and strengthen their people and society,” says Kuupik Kleist.

The announcement has received support from Red-Green members of Danish parliament.

The problem, Berlingske Tidende believes, is that if Greenland makes good on its threat, this will be perceived as a major image blow to Minister for the Climate and Energy Connie Hedegaard, and by extension the Danish government, who are hosting the COP15 conference.

Hedegaard has on several occasions used Greenland to illustrate the effects of climate change, inviting top politicians to Greenland to see melting glaciers. She also chose Greenland as the venue for a top-level meeting for climate ministers.

Greenland’s claim concerning developing countries’ ‘right to pollute’ does not receive criticism in Berlingske Tidende’s coverage, despite the fact that several other low-populated island developing states, such as Tuvalu and the Maldives, have recently committed themselves to complete CO2-neutrality.

It is hinted, however, that plans to build an aluminium plant in Greenland plays a role in the Greenlandic announcement. It is estimated that the plant, if built, would cause a 75 per cent increase in Greenland’s CO2-emissions.

Source: Berlingske Tidende