Ladywriter 7,783 Report post Posted December 13, 2007 BALI, Indonesia (CNN) -- Negotiations over a new agreement on global warming were expected to go down to the wire as the United States and the European Union remained at loggerheads over how to replace the 10-year-old Kyoto Protocol. The United Nations climate change conference in Bali is in its final hours, and negotiations are expected to last well into the night as the summit wraps up mid-day Friday local time. The Europeans are pushing for an agreement that contains specific numbers for emissions cuts, but Washington wants to leave room for future negotiations, including next month's U.S.-sponsored climate talks in Hawaii. The EU delegation has balked at that stance, saying it would render January's major emitters meeting "meaningless."Watch efforts to encourage fruitful talks » "We are disappointed that having reached this stage of the negotiations we still haven't heard from the United States -- what is their exact level of ambition or of engagement in the Bali roadmap?," said Humberto Rosa, a member of European delegation and Portuguese secretary of state for the environment. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, fresh from accepting the Nobel peace prize for his work on climate change awareness, sided with the Europeans. "My own country, the United States, is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in Bali. We all know that," he said. "But my country is not the only that can take steps to ensure that we move forward in bali with progress and with hope." Gore accepted the Nobel peace prize on Monday, alongside the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change . In an interview with CNN, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon leaned toward the United States' position, stressing that Bali negotiations have to be "based on realistic and practical assessment." "Somewhere down the road, quantifiable targets on emissions reductions" would be discussed, he said, adding that "launching the process (is) very important." Japan and Canada have taken positions in line with the United States, while Australia's position is uncertain. Washington is balking at suggestions by the EU that any agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol on global warming should require developed countries to cut their emissions by 25 to 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2020. The Bush administration says Europe is moving too fast in its efforts to find a replacement for the Kyoto treaty, which expires in 2012. "The main effort here in Bali is to get all of the countries to agree, in concept, that they will collectively support a long term global goal for reducing emissions," said James Connaughton, the chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "That's the first step before you can then sit down and work through the specifics of what that goal might be." The shrill tone of Thursday's public statements indicated the behind-the-doors negotiations were difficult. Rosa said the European delegation said it is not "blackmailing" Washington, but said it is "logic(al)" that if no deal is completed in Bali, it can not be built upon in Hawaii. The Kyoto Protocol was passed 10 years ago by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with the goal of limiting greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. While 175 parties -- including the European Union -- have ratified it, the United States has not. http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/13/climate.conference/index.html man.... someone needs to get shot in the fuckin face Look at the flowers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Myk JL 1,731 Report post Posted December 13, 2007 man.... someone needs to get shot in the fuckin face If you're refering to Bush I don't think that will work... We already know Bush is an empty warhead so a bullet or more wouldn't really hit anything that matters... Those who fight deplorables should see to it that they themselves do not become deplorables. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeathscytheX 9,732 Report post Posted December 14, 2007 Europe feels they are top dawg now that they're all in their little confederation. Its the clash of the Egos, nothing will get done. The US won't bow to Europe and likewise. As you can see the two most important economies in the world are on the same side of the fence. GET A NEW FUNK ON BEFORE YOU GET DUMPED ON! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kelene 268 Report post Posted December 17, 2007 Well, the US decided to go with the Bali policy to clean up greenhouse gases. I read that the US delegate's got booed when the said no to the policy but after a few days of tough negotiations, the US finally decided to accept the policy with a huge applause from the other countries. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ladywriter 7,783 Report post Posted December 17, 2007 Consensus at a United Nations summit arrived after a day of high drama in which the United States drew boos for threatening to reject a deal and an angry Chinese delegation led a revolt by developing countries. Last-minute compromise resulted in a so-called "Bali Road map" - a two-year plan to seek a treaty that would replace the Kyoto Protocol in 2012. Delegates who had hoped to launch the talks with clear targets in hand were disappointed by a deal that eschewed mention of hard numbers and replaced them with fuzzy references to reducing greenhouse gases. Canada helped gut some of the substance from Saturday's deal and then expressed regret when the final agreement was ultimately watered down even more than it had hoped. http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hSIPHFtqSzFk7ZCDG9dZKmdlHAMQ Look at the flowers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
