Groser says 'no chance' of climate deal

There is "no chance" of reaching an agreement at climate change talks in Copenhagen, New Zealand Associate Climate Change Minister Tim Groser says.

The United Nations climate talks descended into chaos yesterday as the president of the talks resigned and developing countries tried to block a Danish move to introduce a new negotiating text.

Violent protests outside Copenhagen's Bella Centre were reflected by turmoil inside the plenary hall, in which 193 countries were trying to seal a deal on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"I just cannot see how you can get sufficient convergence inside a meeting room of 1000 people," said Mr Groser, New Zealand's lead political negotiator. "I've never seen it in a trade arena. [I'd] love to be proven wrong, but I'd say no chance."

Two days before the talks are scheduled to end, no concrete figures have been agreed on emission reductions, leaving little for the many heads of state already in the Danish capital to discuss. Mr Groser hopes "elementary common sense" applies.

"I'm appalled – it's like a whole bunch of countries are miscalculating here and thinking that the pressure of these world leaders is going to drive us towards a second Kyoto protocol, and it's not. We have a real problem on our hands."

The meeting's president, Connie Hedegaard, the Danish environment minister, has stepped aside so Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen can try to bridge a deep divide between the world's rich and poor countries.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has been dumped from a climate change debate by the BBC.

Mr Key was elbowed out of the BBC World "Greatest Debate on Earth" yesterday by his Australian counterpart, Kevin Rudd.

The debate in Copenhagen's New Concert Hall will include Mexican President Felipe Calderon and South Africa's Jacob Zuma, before an audience of 1000 people. The BBC World News service has 74 million viewers a week in more than 200 countries.

- © Fairfax NZ News