Rebellion threat at climate talks

DELEGATES from almost 200 countries faced an extra day at the UN climate talks after small island nations demanded an ambitious stance against global warning.

The talks in Katowice, Poland, were supposed to end on Friday but were extended in an attempt to agree the next steps for the Paris climate agreement. After two weeks of talks, diplomats were coming closer to agreeing on the rules that govern the 2015 Paris accord.

Scientists say emissions need to drop dramatically by 2030 and reach near-zero by 2050 in order to prevent the potentially catastrophic consequences. But this would require a drastic overhaul of the global economy, including ending the use of almost all fossil fuels.

Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed warned that nations such as his would veto the current draft because it lacks a clear commitment to new targets. “If necessary, we will rebel against the negotiations,” he said.