Thursday, December 10, 2009 COPENHAGEN: China on Wednesday criticized the lack of action by developed nations in fulfilling their commitments on carbon emissions reduction and financial support to developing nations in coping with climate change. "You will find a huge gap if you make a comparison between their pledges and the actions they have so far taken," Yu Qingtai, China's special representative in the UN climate talks, said at a press conference during the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Developing nations are asking for at least 300 billion U.S. dollars in financial support to help them deal with the impacts of climate change. Developed nations' financial commitments have fallen far short of that goal, and no money has actually been provided. Financial support for developing nations is not "charity work" of the rich nations, but their "legal obligations" under international conventions, Yu said. On emission cuts, the United States' 4-percent pledge by 2020 compared with 1990 levels and the European Union's 20-percent goal are also criticized by developing nations as being not enough. Rich nations have pledged to reduce their emissions to 1990 levels by 2000, but none of them has fulfilled that commitment, Yu said. They should reflect on whether they have the "true political will" to make good on their pledge, he said. "In this regard, what they need to do is some soul-searching." "On the issue of tackling climate change, we have no lack of legal documents, but a lack of sincerity for taking action" on the part of developed nations, Yu said. In response to a U.S. call for incorporating China's commitment into an international treaty, Yu said the United States and other rich nations were trying to "blur the fundamental differences in the responsibilities developed and developing nations take respectively."
Sunday, February 28, 2010 HAVANA: Hundreds of wealthy merchants and cigar aficionados from all parts of the world gathered in Havana this week to bid high stakes for humidors full of premium cigars. Cuba's annual Habanos festival ended on Friday night with an auction of ornate humidors of cedar and mahogany stacked with hand-rolled stogies that raised 800,000 euros ($1.09 million dollars). Habanos S.A. executives this month said cigar sales fell 8 percent to $360 million in 2009, so they have created the Julieta, a smaller, milder version of the Romeo y Julieta cigar, aimed specifically at female smokers. Women now make up only 5 to 10 percent of customers for Habanos. But even with the creation of the Julieta, Garcia said Habanos has only modest hopes for 2010 sales, due largely to a weak economy in Spain, the biggest market for Cuban cigars. The flavor of premium tobacco relies on the soil and climate in which it is grown. The western province of Pinar Del Rio, famous fo...
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