Environmental analysis news: Miliband claims China blocked a deal

Climate change secretary Ed Miliband has claimed that Chinese officials are responsible for the disappointing outcome of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference negotiations.

Writing in his column in the Guardian, Mr Miliband stated that China vetoed proposals to make the emissions reduction targets legally binding.

These included a 50 per cent cut to global emissions and an 80 per cent reduction in developed countries.

However, he was positive about future prospects for worldwide action on climate change.

Mr Miliband praised the global campaign to encourage governments to act, stating: "We would never have had targets from so many countries, the engagement of leaders and the agreement on finance without this sort of mobilisation."

Despite the failure to agree targets for emissions cuts, world leaders signed an accord which agreed to limit global temperature rises to two degrees C and to provide $100 billion (£61.98 billion) in aid by 2020 to poorer countries to combat the effects of climate change.

Posted by Joseph Hutton