EU pessimistic about Copenhagen climate change deal

Europe has given up hope that a binding global treaty on climate change can be achieved at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December.

On Thursday (5 November), EU leaders and officials bluntly briefed reporters in Barcelona at the last series of international talks ahead of the summit that such a deal will not be achieved for as much as another year.

All that now is likely is a "politically binding" agreement, a significant ratcheting down of ambition,

In the late after...