1:45pm UK, Friday December 11, 2009
Emma Rowley, Sky News Online
At least 40 people have been detained during the first street protests surrounding the Copenhagen climate talks.
Demonstrators were seized by police as about 200 people rallied in Denmark's capital.
The protest came as corporate bigwigs met in the city to discuss the role of businesses in the fight against global warming.
The talk was one of many events arranged as an adjunct to the main two-week UN conference, which is ongoing.
Protesters banged drums and chanted: "Mind your business, this is our climate."
This world deal at Copenhagen must be ambitious, global, comprehensive (and) legally binding within six months.One demonstrator said: "It's very important that we are here and that we show to the rulers and to the governors that what they are doing is not what we want.
-Prime Minister Gordon Brown
"And they sell the climate theme everyday and they will sell it in Copenhagen as well and we want to put against that, another alternative."
Negotiators at the conference are trying to broker a global agreement to cut emissions of greenhouse gases and help poor countries cope with climate change.
Police spokesman Henrik Moeller Nielsen said the detentions were preventative and there were no reports of violence.
Meanwhile, Gordon Brown announced that Britain is to provide at least £1.5bn towards a fund to fast-track efforts to combat global warming.
The Prime Minister, who will next week attend the summit alongside other world leaders, said: "This world deal at Copenhagen must be ambitious, global, comprehensive (and) legally binding within six months."
No comments:
Post a Comment