by Sun Xiaohua

Science and Development Network, November 29, 2007 -Developed countries are failing to meet Kyoto Protocol targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and must drastically cut them for the sake of poorer countries, says a UN report.

The authors argue that rich countries are driving an "ecological debt crisis", which will affect the world's poor earliest and hardest.

The Human Development report of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), launched yesterday (28 November), calls for urgent action to align energy policies with commitments to cut emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050.

While governments prepare to start negotiating the protocol's successor next week in Bali, Indonesia, the report notes that most OECD countries are not on track to meet Kyoto targets.

The authors point out that in developing countries, 1 in 19 people suffered from climate-related disasters between 2000 and 2004, compared with only 1 in 1,500 people in wealthy countries.

The main difference, say the authors, is that developed countries have the means to 'climate-proof' their infrastructure.

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