The midst of the worst economic crisis for 60 years is hardly a propitious moment to negotiate a global deal to combat climate change. Given this backdrop, perhaps the outcome of the Durban summit – essentially a decision to postpone a decision on how best to co-ordinate a global response – was the best that could be hoped for. This postponement will only be worthwhile, however, if countries now put serious effort into agreeing a binding successor to the Kyoto protocol.
眼下正值60年來最嚴重的經濟危機,就協商一項旨在抗擊氣候變化的全球協議而言,算不得什麼良辰吉日。在此背景下,或許德班峯會的結果——實際上是推遲就如何協調全球應對措施做決定的決定——是人們所能期望的最好結果。然而,只有在各國現在就做出嚴肅努力、以達成有約束力的後續協議來取代《京都議定書》(Kyoto protocol)的情況下,這種推遲纔是值得的。