Poznan ends with rich nations blasted

POZNAN, Poland, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Delegates were wrapping up a U.N. climate conference Friday by trying to find a compromise on a fund aimed at helping the poor cope with global warming.

The so-called Adaptation Fund for days had been the main stumbling block to a successful ending of the U.N. climate summit in the western Polish city of Poznan.

On Friday delegations were still in deadlock, with developing countries pitted against richer nations over the concrete look of the fund.

Poor countries had called for less red tape to make resources from the fund directly accessible to those most affected by climate change. Industrialized countries wanted to ensure that the "money will be used in the right way -- for adaptation," European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said Friday.

Delegates from 189 countries at the U.N. conference are determined that by December 2009 at a summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, they will have come up with a treaty to curb climate change.

Environmental groups blamed rich nations for doing too little to further green efforts.

"Industrialized countries are failing to live up to their historical and current responsibilities by not committing to steep, immediate binding emission reduction targets," said Stephanie Long of Friends of the Earth.

The World Wide Fund said leaders gave up a chance to battle the economic crisis and climate change at the same time.

"Instead, industrialized countries preached sermons about the importance of climate protection in the Poznan plenary while lacking or attacking policies to make it happen at home -- a serious sign of climate hypocrisy."