After Copenhagen

The meeting in Bonn comes nearly four months after the Copenhagen summit failed to produce a binding climate change resolution, something which some delegates in Bonn said was the result of the way talks were allowed to play out.

"The total failure of the meeting in Copenhagen... was simply because the principles of the United Nations were not respected, nor were international rules," said Venezuelan delegate Claudia Salerno.

Fernando Tudela, representative for Mexico, also criticized the process of negotiations, saying "we need to improve our working methods."

One of the Bonn conference's goals is to agree to a series of successive meetings, leading up to another summit in December in Cancun, Mexico. Bonn is set to host another UN climate convention at the end of May.

'Pick up the pieces' from Copenhagen

Several countries have shown support for streamlining the decision-making process, which requires 194 parties to approve an agreement. One proposal would create "contact groups" of several dozen countries that would negotiate issues before bringing them to a plenary session for approval.

Delegates are also considering whether to create a draft negotiating text in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile demonstrators in Bonn dumped four tons of broken glass outside the convention building, holding up a sign that called on leaders to "pick up the pieces" from Copenhagen.

Last December's summit in Copenhagen ended with a handful of countries setting a general goal of limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius and earmarking billions of dollars in aid to help poorer countries limit greenhouse gas emissions.

acb/dpa/AFP/AP
Editor: Kyle James