China applauded but disappointed at climate talks

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) - China is disappointed by progress at climate talks where it feels some rich countries are shirking their responsibilities to cut emissions and help poorer nations tackle global warming, delegation members said.

The Chinese team has been applauded by other delegations and activists for its cooperative attitude, but says its proposals to do more in return for help with clean technology have foundered amid squabbling over who is responsible for rising temperatures.

"I am a bit disappointed there is still this continuation of talk about what everyone should contribute, and particularly what the emerging economic powers like China should contribute, but there is virtually no progress on the key areas of financing and technology transfer," said a delegation source.

"Expectations are high, the whole world is focusing on Bali and what we were hoping to see is some real progress on tough issues," he told Reuters.

The talks are currently split over the ground rules for agreeing to launch formal negotiations on a new long-term global treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the 37-nation Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012 to all countries.

The United States is leading opposition to any mention, in the guidelines for negotiations, of a need for rich nations to cut greenhouse gases by 25 to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.

But the U.N. climate panel says the deep cuts are needed to avoid the worst impacts of global warming and China says the figure is a vital sign of rich nations' commitment to tackling high per-capita and historic levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

"The developed countries must take their responsibilities seriously. We must have the 25 to 40 percent target," said a source with close ties to the delegation.

"If they won't agree to this, if they won't even do this, then what hope is there?" he told Reuters.

DEADLINE DRAG

But China itself has been accused of slowing negotiations by not firmly supporting a two-year deadline for reaching a new deal backed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The head of China's team, Xie Zhenhua, told a high-level meeting his team had come to Bali with a positive, cooperative attitude but gave 2010 as the deadline.

One source did, however, suggest that behind the scenes Beijing was pushing for faster action than in public.

"We hope that it could be finished as early as next year because we need a deal as early as possible, but we need for it to be completed by 2010 at the latest," the source said.

But the developed world's reluctance to help China clean up its energy infrastructure may make it less willing to compromise on other parts of any deal.

China's climate change ambassador, Yu Qingtai, told Reuters before the Bali meeting that China would be willing to do more to fight climate change in return for help with clean technology, but the proposal has had little success, the sources said.

"We are not asking companies to become charity organizations, we are talking about government obligations. There are policy tools -- tax incentives, rebates -- ways that would encourage the companies to be more proactive," the delegation source said.

"So we are talking at different wavelengths and there is virtually no progress. Despite all the moralistic statements, there is little readiness to move on this and so that is a bit depressing," he added.

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(Additional reporting by Gde Anugrah Arka; editing by David Fogarty)