Maldives fails to convince peers to go “carbon neutral” (Reuters)

A group of developing countries agreed Tuesday to “green” their economies but stopped short of promising to become “carbon neutral” as a way to spur big polluters into action at climate talks next month.

The president of the Maldives had hoped a summit he was hosting would result in a promise by all present to commit themselves to become carbon neutral within a decade.

Instead, the summit’s final declaration said: “We will commence greening our economies as our contribution toward achieving carbon neutrality.”

“In short, we have been able to agree that development and green technology or less-carbon development is possible,” President Mohamed Nasheed said.

The summit was attended by Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Kiribati, Barbados, Bhutan, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania — countries which are among the lowest emitters of greenhouse gas but are vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change including desertification, drought, floods and storm surges.

Click here to read more from Reuters.