Breakthrough in climate talks
Saturday, 15 Dec 2007 21:05
World leaders are seeking agreement on how to tackle climate change beyond Kyoto
A breakthrough has been achieved in global climate talks after the US withdrew objections hindering the conclusion of a deal to combat global warming.
The 11,000 delegates at the climate conference in Bali were seeking to set an agenda for negotiations on how to replace the Kyoto protocols on emissions, which expire in 2012.
Under the framework agreed at the meeting, a 2009 deadline has been set for the conclusion of an agreement on measures to reduce pollution that was causing climate change. However, the agreement does not include a reference to binding targets which the US was firmly opposed to.
The agreement comes after talks at the conference continued past the agreed 12-day period and UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon arrived to make an unscheduled speech at the summit where he emphasised the importance of reaching an agreement.
Speaking afterwards, UN climate change chief Yvo de Boer said the international community had provided the "political response" to the problem.
"This is a real breakthrough, a real opportunity for the international community to successfully fight climate change," he said.
Participants at the conference booed the US delegation as it maintained its position that it would not agree to binding targets on reducing emissions. But the atmosphere soon changed as senior US negotiator Paula Dobrianksy said the country would "go forward and join consensus" after previously stating that they would reject the draft.
The US and Canada, together with Japan, were opposing EU-led calls for a fixed target to reduce greenhouse gas emission by 2020 during the conference arguing that such a goal would prejudge the outcome of future talks.
Talks at the conference took place in an atmosphere of urgency after the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned earlier this year that global temperatures could rise 4C (7.2F) by the end of the century.