Screwing the Poor

There is much to-do this morning about a leaked document at the Copenhagen summit that appears to impose a unilateral, un-negotiated and permanent secondary status on developing countries. The Guardian is offering the following analysis:

A confidential analysis of the text by developing countries also seen by the Guardian shows deep unease over details of the text. In particular, it is understood to:

• Force developing countries to agree to specific emission cuts and measures that were not part of the original UN agreement;

• Divide poor countries further by creating a new category of developing countries called "the most vulnerable";

• Weaken the UN's role in handling climate finance;

• Not allow poor countries to emit more than 1.44 tonnes of carbon per person by 2050, while allowing rich countries to emit 2.67 tonnes.

Developing countries that have seen the text are understood to be furious that it is being promoted by rich countries without their knowledge and without discussion in the negotiations.

In other words, given the unlikely prospect of targets ever being met by anyone, it seems at least plausible that the goal of the summit is to cement the primacy of the rich nations -- in other words to screw the poor.