ustrian Environment Minister Nikolaus Berlakovich Friday blasted UN climate talks in Barcelona as "a waste of time", as hopes faded of sealing a new global warming treaty by the end of the year.
"That was a waste of time. Nothing was achieved whatsoever," Berlakovich said of the Barcelona meeting in an interview with the Austria Press Agency. But he insisted: "We absolutely need a global agreement" on climate change. "The UN's credibility is also on the line," he added.
Negotiations this week in Barcelona were aimed at hammering out a workable blueprint for a crucial UN climate summit in Copenhagen in December.
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"It is five seconds to midnight," he added, hinting that time was running out to come to a viable agreement to reduce emissions from fossil fuels that are causing global warming.
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