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Climate talks end in blame game

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UN climate talks ended in Tianjin yesterday with most countries disappointed at the lack of progress and a dispute between the world's two biggest polluters escalating.

Negotiators from more than 170 countries put on a brave face at the end of the week-long gathering, saying the world should remain hopeful about 'a balanced outcome' at the UN climate conference in Cancun, Mexico, next month.

But most were disappointed at the lack of movement on core issues, and environmentalists highlighted the lack of trust and urgency among major players.

The week-long climate talks in Tianjin, the first China has hosted, opened with negotiations at a new low following last year's frustrating failure at Copenhagen.

So, instead of aiming for a binding deal on global warming, delegates sought to build trust between rich and poor countries by trying to identify areas of consensus and laying the groundwork for the negotiating text for Cancun.

But even that limited task wasn't easy. According to the UN, headway was made in only a few of the key issues, which ranged from the future of the Kyoto Protocol, to carbon cuts, financing, technology transfer and a long-term shared vision.

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