Minister for the Environment John Gormley has said that this week's assessment from world leaders that it was not possible to broker a comprehensive deal on climate change in Copenhagen next month was disappointing but not surprising.
Mr Gormley said he had been saying for some weeks that this was going to be the outcome, and the acknowledgment this week by US president Barack Obama and others confirmed this. "I was accused of pessimism but I was being realistic."
He said that agreement looked unlikely because of ongoing wrangling over the extent to which richer countries should finance climate change adaptation and mitigation in developing countries, as well as internal political difficulties over climate change in the US.
Mr Gormley said it was vital to set down a timeline for early political agreement that would allow a deal within a year.
