Interim Climate Pact Approved

"There's tremendous expectations of the United States, and there should be, given Obama's position," said Angela Anderson, director of the Pew Environment Group's international global warming campaign. "What that means in the context of this negotiation is translating his climate and energy package into a negotiating position pretty early in the year."

In a speech Friday afternoon here, former vice president Al Gore made a point of quoting several of Obama's remarks on climate change, and assured delegates that the incoming president would heed the science and push for a meaningful climate agreement.

"Don't discount these words," Gore said. A few minutes later, he invoked Obama's campaign slogan: "I would like to relay to you a message that I heard from the people of the United States of America this year, that I think is very relevant to the task the world is facing over this next year: 'Yes, we can.' "

Gore's comments highlighted the peculiar position of the United States in this year's talks: While delegates sent by President Bush conducted formal negotiations, many of the international negotiators sought out Gore and Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) to discuss America's future role in the climate debate.

German environment minister Sigmar Gabriel said he was taken aback that Paula Dobriansky, undersecretary of state for democracy and global affairs and head of the U.S. delegation, informed him that the United States would never make the 20-to-45 percent emissions cut (by 2020) that Europeans hope to include in a final pact because Congress will not even back Obama's more modest target.

"It was unbelievable," Gabriel said.

Gabriel said he was more intrigued by his meeting with Kerry, in which the senator emphasized that the United States could sign a deal in Copenhagen even if it had not yet enacted a domestic carbon cap, as long as the pact included meaningful action on the part of major emerging economies, such as those in China and India.

If his stance "sounds like a different message, it's because it's a different message," Kerry said. "The president-elect has made his position clear. He is in favor of mandatory targets, he is in favor of an 80 percent reduction by 2050 and he is in favor of the United States leading on this issue."

But Dobriansky countered that the outgoing and incoming presidents share a common vision: "It's important to note there's no difference between Democrats and Republicans on having an environmentally effective and economically successful agreement that would demand firm commitments from all major economies."