Climate control

Upon arriving in Copenhagen, Angela Merkel addressed the plenary session of the climate summit with a reminder that climate change can only be addressed when nations work together.

"This climate change summit is a global phenomenon," Merkel said. "Climate change is something that can only be fought on the global level. We all need to help each other, and we all have to be willing to change the way we live."

Merkel also called upon other industrialized nations to agree to a 25 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

The European Union has pledged a 20 percent cut that could increase to 30 percent if other nations also make far-reaching pledges, but so far this appears to be unlikely. Merkel warned of the effects failure in Copenhagen would have.

"[A failure] would be a terrible signal for those who want to give our world a bright future in the 21st century," Merkel said.

She appealed to the world leaders in attendance to do everything they can in the next 24 hours to ensure the summit is a success.

"If everyone takes on just a bit more, then we can do it," she said.

Dire situation

Negotiators have failed to reach common ground thus far, and the Danish hosts of the conference on Thursday gave up efforts to propose new draft texts to create a basis for negotiation among the national leaders arriving less than 48 hours before the summit's planned end.

Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, also the summit's chairman, said the host country is "giving the responsibility for negotiations back to the participating nations."

"No other texts will be used," he said.

The draft texts to be negotiated on remain those presented Wednesday which exclude contested central points of the talks. It is now likely the 120 leaders will negotiate a closing statement to the conference without making any binding commitments.

Representatives from developing countries objected to any new texts proposed by Denmark and accused Rasmussen of siding with wealthy countries.

"We're simply being passed over here," the chief delegate from Mauritius said to the assembly. "Let's just break off these theatrics."

However, Merkel said before leaving for Copenhagen that she hopes a breakthrough is possible once national leaders arrive.

"Many, many people will be watching us," she said.

United States and China at odds

Wealthy nations pledged some $22 billion (15 billion euros) late Wednesday to help bankroll the fight against global warming, with Japan leading the way by promising to stump up 1.75 trillion yen ($19.5 billion) to developing nations if a comprehensive deal is reached at Copenhagen.

But the announcements could not mask the huge differences still dividing rich nations and the developing world over how to shoulder the burden.

Some of the bitterest exchanges at the 12-day conference have been between the United States and China, the world's two biggest polluters.

Merkel stressed that regardless of whether the goal of a global climate change treaty is reached, the international community must commit to keeping temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

"If that does not succeed, I must say: then the global climate change conference has failed," she said.

China not giving up

China's climate change ambassador said on Thursday he had not given up hope of a strong deal and rejected as malicious rumors a suggestion from other delegates that his counry already had.

Yu Qingtai said Beijing wants a deal that would capture all progress achieved over two years of UN-led negotiations and leave room for swift progress on unresolved areas next year, given that time at the summit, scheduled to end Friday, is rapidly running out.

"I do not know where this rumor came from but I can assure you that the Chinese delegation came to Copenhagen with hope and have not given it up," Yu Qingtai told Reuters on the sidelines of the summit.

"Copenhagen is too important to fail," he said, adding that the presence of Premier Wen Jiabao, who arrived in Copenhagen on Wednesday evening, was testament to China's commitment.

US pledges billions

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined the negotiations in Copenhagen on Thursday. In a gesture aimed at breaking the deadlock, she said the United States will help to mobilize $100 billion a year by 2020 to help poor countries combat climate change.

"In the context of a strong accord, in which all major economies stand behind meaningful mitigation actions and provide full transparency as to their implementation, the United States is prepared to work with other countries toward a goal of jointly mobilizing $100 billion a year by 2020 to address the climate change needs of developing countries," she said.

Germany as bridge builder

Germany will play a key role in pushing delegates to reach a compromise, German Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said Thursday in a television interview.

"We are on the cutting edge and bridge builders in the crisis situation in which the conference finds itself," he said. "We need to try to break through the blockade."

Roettgen, who is heading one of the groups trying to mediate a solution between industrialized and developing nations, criticized Chinese representatives for avoiding issues, saying Wednesday's negotiations were wasted because of China's refusal to participate constructively.

"We need to help to make sure other developing nations do not fall into line with this attitude," he said.

gps/AFP/ap/dpa

Editor: Sean Sinico