World leaders on Saturday agreed to negotiate a new pact by 2009 for reducing the impact of global warming. The 13th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which ended in Bali in Indonesia on Saturday, however, failed to quantify the emission cuts needed to reduce the impact of global warming due to strong opposition by US, joined by Canada and Japan.
The new climate pact would replace the Kyoto Protocol, which is likely to expire by 2012. Negotiations are expected to begin in April 2008 to finalise the agenda for the Copenhagen meeting in 2009.
Instead of agreeing to a moderate proposal put forth by the EU calling for emission cut by 25% to 40% below 1990 levels by 2020, the US tried to rope in emerging economies like India and China to commit emission cuts. Developing countries including India and the G-77 support the EU proposal. The differences was so intense that it could not be resolve by late evening on Friday and the conference ran into an extra day on Saturday, resulting in a dramatic finish.
Leaders resolved to have a new climate treaty by 2009, after US backed down in a battle over wording supported by developing nations and EU. The US stand had drawn loud boos and sharp floor rebukes ? ?If you are not willing to lead, then get out of the way!? one delegate demanded ?before US under secretary of state Paula Dobriansky reversed her position, allowing the adoption of the so-called ?Bali Roadmap?. The UN climate chief Yvo de Boor termed it as ?a real breakthrough?.
The developing nations urged that technological help from rich nations and other issues needed greater recognition in the document. In an apparent resolution, India and others suggested minor adjustments to the text, backed by the EU, that encouraged monitoring of technological transfer to make sure rich countries were meeting that need. But the US objected and only relented when, in an uproar, delegates criticised and pleaded with Dobriansky to reverse course.