Lack of progress at summit spells disaster for poor countries

Crucial talks to protect the future of the planet and to combat world poverty ended in what environmentalists called “a giant fudge,” with government ministers bowing to pressure from big business and failing to agree an action plan.

The United Nations meeting, held in Bali, Indonesia, was a preparation for the Earth Summit to be held in Johannesburg in August—the follow up to the last Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro 10 years ago. Its aim was to draft a blueprint for …