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Greenpeace Campaigner Voices Disappointment with Developed Countries

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Greenpeace International communications manager on Friday voiced disappointment that developed countries have not done enough to fight climate change.

"We're disappointed, for example, with France's attitude towards developing countries," Martin Lloyd said in a commentary released on the France 24 website.

France has not made strides in cutting greenhouse gas emissions either, he said, nothing that carbon emissions decreased only by 5percent since 1990.

Lloyd said the Amsterdam-based environmental organization has posted ad photos of developed countries' leaders around the Copenhagen airport to show their disappointment.

Lloyd also appealed to European leaders to lay more pressure on US President Barack Obama, saying the American offer of cutting carbon emissions by 4 percent by 2020 against 1990 levels is too much lower than other industrialized countries and too little to make contribution.

He underlined that developed countries should offer developing countries "real support and funds" to help them "follow up on their targets" rather than just demanding commitment.

Lloyd applauded the efforts by developing countries, which have put ambitious offers on the table in the past months.

"China has proposed a serious target of cutting the carbon intensity of its economy by 40 percent to 45 percent by 2020, which is a good start to negotiate," he said.

Besides, India, Brazil and Indonesia all presented reduction targets. On the contrary, rich countries' unwillingness to do the same is embarrassing, Lloyd added.

Greenpeace International, a worldwide non-governmental organization, was found in 1971. It campaigns for protection and conservation of the environment through direct action, lobbying and research.

Developing countries are calling on developed ones to comply with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol and help less developed states with practical action rather than oral commitments.

The 15th UN Climate Change Conference will take place from December 7 to 18 in the Denmark capital of Copenhagen, with the international community seeking agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the developing and developed countries still have disputes on key issues like reduction targets, funds and technology supports.

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2009)