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DESPITE the happy ending to the global climate change talks in Bali yesterday, the morning started badly.
False starts, jeers, even accusations of conspiracies erupted.
It all came about as a result of the conflict, disappointment, restlessness and sheer exhaustion that had built up at the talks involving 190 nations over the last two weeks - and a day.
The final draft of the declaration was new to 98 per cent of the delegates here, since it was cobbled together by a handful of ministers. That prompted splintered meetings.
Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar finally opened the fragile formal session at 9am, with a warning that even 'minor changes' to the text would 'compromise our ability to reach an agreement'.
Yet no one seemed to listen.
India, among others, wanted a change. Then the meeting stalled three times because several ministers went missing. China took a swipe at the secretariat for the way things were proceeding and demanded an explanation from United Nations climate chief Yvo de Boer. Clearly exhausted, he was almost in tears.
By early afternoon, the panic was apparent. The lobby was abuzz with gossip - not only were the G77 developing countries plus China at odds with the United States, but the group had divisions within itself. Smaller countries like Bangladesh wanted their responsibilities differentiated from bigger emitters like India.
A group representing small island states strategically positioned itself right outside the area where ministers met, to 'drown their sorrows while waiting to drown', as a handwritten sign declared. That momentarily lightened the mood.
The drafting team put a damper on the impromptu party, though, with the news that emissions targets suggested by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scientists had been relegated to a footnote.
Grenada's ambassador to the UN, Mr Angus Friday, who had spent most of the evening anxiously clutching his cup of coffee, found it hard to hide his disappointment.
'There was no need for 12,000 people to be gathered here in Bali to have a watered-down text. We could have done something like that by e-mail,'' he said.
The breakthrough came at 2.19pm when the US backed down and joined the consensus.
At 2.31pm, Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar announced consensus on a deal to launch two years of talks on a new global treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, triggering wild applause and a standing ovation.
The celebrations that followed were far from raucous, however.
Indeed, many had come to the finale with suitcases in tow. They said goodbye to Bali as soon as the messy business of saving the planet was done.
When asked what he was going to do, Mr de Boer said: 'I am just looking forward to being in a bath with a beer.'
arti@sph.com.sg
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