Setting the pace on global climate politics

With U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen in December only weeks away, Reuters is leading the way in reporting negotiating strategies and breaking news on how individual states are planning to tackle emissions. On Nov 30 Reuters in New Delhi got exclusive access to a Danish draft proposal calling for the developed world to be responsible for 80 percent of carbon cuts and the developing world for the remainder. It was the most contentious point of a document that deliberately left many other targets vague. India’s environment minister immediately reacted, saying that the talks would come to a dead end if the draft was put forward as it stands. Denmark later said the draft was just one possible compromise text. In Australia the government is on the verge of calling an early election after a deal with the opposition to pass a carbon emissions bill collapsed amid an opposition lawmaker revolt. Reuters’ grasp of Australia’s political dynamics meant we were ahead of the curve at each twist and turn. At the end of the week, on Nov 27 Reuters published a “scenarios” story laying out the possible outcomes and the growing chances that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd would call a snap election over the carbon trade laws.