Copenhagen — Calls for deeper cuts in carbon emissions by industrial countries are intensifying as world leaders try to forge consensus on how to fight climate change in the years to come.

Today, many delegates from developing countries, especially those from Africa and small island countries, said they were extremely disappointed at the industrial countries' refusal to commit emission cuts at the level of 1.5 degree Celsius.

The industrial nations say they are willing to reduce their greenhouse emissions by 2 degrees Celsius or even less. That, according to UN climate scientists, is not enough to keep the rise in the global average temperature under control.

At this time as many as 106 countries are reported to be in opposition to the industrial countries' position on emission reductions. These countries are represented by the Africa Group, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Group, and the Bolivarian Alliance, which constitutes majority of the parties to the conference.

"1.5 degrees is non-negotiable - more than that means death to Africa," Bruno Sekoli of Lesotho, chair of the LDC Group at the Copenhagen summit, told MediaGlobal. "It will cause unmanageable consequences. It will leave millions of people suffering from hunger, diseases, floods, and water shortages."

UN research shows that Africa and small islands nations are the ones that are being hit hard by natural disasters caused by rising temperatures. Leaders of the industrial world acknowledge that millions of people in poor countries are suffering the most from the impacts of climate change, yet they remain reluctant to take drastic measures on emissions.

In addressing the summit Friday, like many others, the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva raised concerns about the vulnerability of Africa, small islands and LDCs to the impacts of climate change and urged that the industrial nations must act meaningfully to support and finance mitigation and adaptation efforts in poor countries.

"It's necessary to keep commitments on emissions cuts and financing," he told the leaders of industrial countries and reminded them of their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. The 1997 accord makes a clear distinction between the developed and developing nations and sets different tasks for both to address climate change.

Since the industrial countries are responsible for about 80 percent of atmospheric pollution, under the Kyoto Protocol, which will expire next year in December, they are obliged to take greater responsibility than those nations that are not fully industrialized.

During talks over the past two weeks, negotiators from the global North, appeared to be hesitant in bringing Kyoto into discussions, which sparked resentment and anger among the African delegates, many of whom walked out along with their counterparts from other poor regions of the world.

Negotiators from the South argue that most countries in Africa and small island nations are least responsible for atmospheric pollution and that they are justified in demanding enhanced commitments from the rich nations on emissions reduction. For their part, the industrial nations have indicated their willingness to set up US$100 billion a year fund for developing countries. The developing nations have welcomed that proposal but, at the same time, made it clear they would not compromise on the question of emission cuts.