ALYSA PERRERAS | staff writer
courtesy | ASSOCIATED PRESS
An Indonesian student plants a tree during a tree-planting campaign prior to the climate conference to negotiate a successor to the Kyoto Protocol in response to catastrophic floods and droughts, melting ice caps, and deadly heat waves throughout the world.

WITH AP SOURCES

An estimated 83 people have been reported dead as a result of the recent flash flooding in in North Sumatra. The flooding in Indonesia is another natural disaster linked to climate change. Other recent devastation throughout the world has served to bring the issue of natural disasters and climate change into the global spotlight.

Governmental leaders, members of the United Nations and delegates from 190 countries are currently gathered to discuss the link between recent natural disasters and climate change.

The U.N. said that this year’s scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has “made clear beyond doubt that climate change is a reality.” The report claims there is a serious threat posed to the future development of the world’s economies, societies and ecosystems.

Impoverished and developing regions in countries like Mexico, Nicaragua and Honduras have significantly felt the effects of the recent natural disasters. With the recent flooding in Indonesia, reports are saying that poor nations are going to be the ones who suffer the most by the climate change.

The issues of climate change and developing nations was the focus of a report released last week by the U.N. According to the report, the responsibility lies on rich nations to provide $86 billion a year by 2015 in order to better prepare these developing countries for the effects of climate change. The money would be used not only to prepare the vulnerable countries, but also help them recover.

“Increased exposure to drought, to more intense storms, to floods and environmental stress is holding back the efforts of the world’s poor to build a better life for themselves and their children,” the panel’s report said.

The report, which also addressed issues of greenhouse gases, was released just a week before the U.N.’s planned conference to discuss climate change.

The Climate Conference began on Monday Dec. 3 and will last two weeks in Cibubur, Bali. Those in attendance sought to negotiate revisions to the Kyoto Protocol, an international pact that addressed the issue of a destructive rise in world temperatures and necessary action taken to prevent further damage.

Focus is being placed on the United States to join the agreement, which calls for a cut in the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. During the conference, pressure is on the delegates to quickly create a plan to combat the climate change.

“The eyes of the world are upon you. There is a huge responsibility for Bali to deliver,” executive secretary of the conference Yvo de Boer said. “The world now expects a quantum leap forward.”

The growing concern for the effects of climate change on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries will be an issue addressed at the conference.

Contention around the issue of emissions, centering on whether emission cuts should be mandatory or voluntary, will also be a major topic at the conference.

The U.N.’s climate chief said on Sunday that a meaningful plan to address climate change cannot occur without the cooperation of the U.S.; the country with the highest emission of greenhouse gases.

The American delegation responded to this by presenting ways in which the U.S. has worked to improve environmental conditions without mandatory emission cuts.

“We’re not here to be a roadblock,’’ senior U.S. Climate Negotiator Harlan L. Watson said. “We’re committed to a successful conclusion, and we’re going to work very constructively to make that happen.”

Over 10,000 delegates, scientists and journalist were present as the opening of the biggest ever climate change conference. The target time frame is having a functional international pact by 2009 to combat climate change. The theoretical alternative to addressing the rising temperatures according to the panel is only economic and environmental disaster.”