Qatar hosts climate summit amid criticism

[Jefferson23]

The emirate produces nearly 50 tonnes a year of carbon dioxide, making it one of the world's largest emitters.

Last Modified: 25 Nov 2012 10:55

As Qatar welcomes world leaders to the 18th United Nations climate change conference, its own environmental record has come under criticism as a major contributor to greenhouse gases.

The climate talks, which begin on Monday in Doha, have placed a spotlight on the Gulf nation, which produces nearly 50 tonnes a year of carbon dioxide for each of its 1.6 million residents.

Environmentalists question whether Qatar has the diplomatic muscle - and, more importantly, the political will to play a positive role in the critical two-week negotiations.
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"It [Qatar] would not be my choice," Raul Estrada, an architect of the historic 1997 Kyoto Protocol, told the AFP news agency.

in full: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/11/201211256573379361.html