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US Wants to Negotiate New Climate Pact
"The eyes of the world are upon you. There is a huge responsibility for Bali to deliver," said Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the conference. "The world now expects a quantum leap forward."
The conference opened as momentum grows around the globe in support for dramatic steps aimed at stopping a rise in temperatures that many scientists fear could lead to swamped coastal areas and islands, the loss of species, economic havoc and a spike in natural disasters such as storms, forest fires and droughts.
  A member of Green Peace activist sets up a giant thermometer as a symbol of global warming during their campaign in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007. World leaders launch marathon negotiations Monday on how to fight global warming, which left unchecked could cause devastating sea level rises, send millions further into poverty and lead to the mass extinction of plants and animals. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) (Firdia Lisnawati - AP) TOOLBOXCOMMENT |
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The meeting is the first major climate conference since former Vice President Al Gore _ due to arrive next week _ and a U.N. scientific council were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their environmental work.
Confronted with the past year's scientific reports on the climate problem, the Bush administration has signaled a willingness to play a larger role in negotiations.
The American delegation presented a statement detailing measures the U.S. is taking, such as promoting energy efficiency and cleaner technologies. Yet, it remains opposed to mandatory emission cuts on an international level and scoffed at the notion of taking any action to immediately phase out use of fossil fuels.
The meeting's goal of simply launching negotiations didn't sit well with the Athabaskan Arctic Council's representative.
James Allen said native communities in Canada and Alaska are seeing their ice environment melt away and that the warming climate has also led to an invasion of spruce beetles that has destroyed several hundred acres of forest and led to increasing wildfires.
"We would like to see things happen a lot faster," Allen said. "The effects are happening now. We don't have time to debate these issues. People's lives are at stake."
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U.N. Climate Change Conference: http:/
