A CHASM has widened between the countries most crucial to a new climate treaty, China and the US, over whether the developing superpower will accept international scrutiny of its greenhouse gas emissions.
And the European Union has lashed out at both China and the US (the so-called G2 responsible for 40 per cent of emissions) for failing to play their part to ensure global warming is kept to to 2 degrees.
The bickering at the opening of the summit has been largely rhetorical, but reflects deep divisions between countries. Little agreement is expected on the issues central to a climate pact before 110 world leaders arrive in the Danish capital late next week.
A leaked proposal for a Copenhagen agreement, prepared by China with help from Brazil, South Africa and India, said developed countries should only have to open clean projects that were financed by wealthy nations to international scrutiny.
It is an open challenge to an agreement in Bali two years that all emissions reporting must be internationally verifiable, but in line with China and India's long-term refusal to make its climate policies part of an international treaty.
Chief climate negotiator for the US, Jonathan Pershing responded forcefully. ''We need public reporting with maximum transparency, we need a means to review our individual and collective efforts.''
Meanwhile, the EU signalled it was likely to play hardball with other wealthy nations on emissions targets by criticising the pre-conference offers by China and the US to limit their emissions.
The EU's main negotiator, Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren, said the commitments did reflect the advice of climate scientists and would not be enough to trigger Europe lifting its 2020 target from a minimum 20 per cent cut to a possible 30.
The US proposal equates to only a 4 per cent cut to 1990 levels. President Barack Obama has maintained he cannot offer more than might be passed by the Congress, but EU diplomats demand he announce a much tougher proposal when he lands in Copenhagen late next week.
''We must keep the pressure up until the end,'' Mr Carlgren said. ''If we weaken that pressure by already delivering before the endgame, we could weaken a final agreement.''
Mr Pershing said the US had a long-term plan to cut emissions by 83 per cent by 2050. ''What the US has put on the table is a trajectory that is not only consistent with but meets the criteria of a robust climate [deal],'' he said.
A possible solution to the impasses has been flagged in Washington, where the US Environment Protection Authority has made a long-expected announcement that greenhouse gases were a danger to the health and welfare of Americans. This gives Mr Obama the power to impose regulations limiting emissions from power plants, factories and cars.
While the US is reluctant to unilaterally regulate emissions, the introduction of EPA powers is seen as a back-up plan if Congress fails to agree on an emissions trading scheme.
EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said the US had a clear commitment to play its part in tackling climate change. ''We hope that today's announcement serves as another incentive for far-reaching accords.''
Mr Carlgren has also dismissed China's offer to reduce its emissions per unit of GDP by 40-45 per cent by 2020. He said China's expected economic growth meant the target would still result in a huge increase in emissions.
The Australian delegation used its first statement at the conference to acknowledge the widespread support for a $US10 billion a year green fund to help poor and vulnerable countries.
Speaking for the ''umbrella group'', which includes the US, Canada, Japan and Russia, Australian ambassador Louise Hand supported a ''substantial increase in financial and investment flows'' for a 2012 climate deal, a confirmation of Australia's backing of the ''fast-track'' green fund at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Trinidad.
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