MIDRAND, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa believes an agreement on emission curbs at the climate talks in Copenhagen is still possible, but only if developed countries do their fair share and follow up on their commitments.
Nearly 200 nations will meet at the end of the year to try to seal a broader agreement to replace Kyoto and bind big developing nations and the United States to emissions curbs.
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk said the countries should not yet discount a possible deal, but push for inclusive and ambitious targets instead.
Analysts have suggested the new deal could be at risk because poorer nations will not commit to emissions curbs unless rich countries do much more to rein in carbon pollution and pay for adaptation and the transfer of clean-energy technology.
"(As) developing countries, we want an agreement in Copenhagen; we want the agreement to be legally binding, we want decisions on finance and technology transfer to be binding -- I believe it is still within our reach," he said.
South Africa is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases on the continent, but has often been commended for being most active among developing countries in fighting climate change.
Van Schalkwyk said he was encouraged by signals coming from the Obama administration, but said its zero emissions reduction target to 1990 levels by 2020 was not acceptable.
"We cannot accept anything that suggests that, because the United States have done so little for so long, we must allow them to do less than required by science in future," he said.
Van Schalkwyk said the trust gap between developed and developing nations had widened during the U.N. climate talks in Poland in December, but some progress has been made since.
"Many developed countries still owe us their proposals for midterm targets -- Japan, Canada, Russia, the United States -- and Australia came with a very uninspiring proposal," he said.
"The draft communique from the European Union indicates progress at least from the EU, but many other developed countries must still come to the table," he said.
A fund to help poor countries cope with global warming was lunched at the talks in Poland, to help developing countries adapt to floods, mudslides, droughts and rising seas, but has been touted as being tiny compared to what needs to be done.
U.N. projections are that poor nations will need tens of billions of dollars a year by 2030 to cope with climate change.
Van Schalwyk said international assistance is needed to reduce emissions by a substantial amount.
"On our own, with the decisions in place now, we could probably deviate 10 percent from business as usual in our emissions trajectory ... we need international support to push it up to 30-35 percent, that's what is lacking," he said.
Van Schalkwyk was speaking at the launch of South Africa's second climate change summit, due to continue until March 6.
(Reporting by Agnieszka Flak)
