Reuters: “The United States is the biggest source of greenhouse gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels, and Bush’s decision to reject caps under the U.N.’s Kyoto Protocol discourages involvement by other big-polluting outsiders such as China and India.
After two weeks of talks, about 70 environment ministers in Nairobi agreed on Friday to a 2008 review of Kyoto as a possible prelude to deeper emission cuts by rich nations beyond 2012 and steps by developing countries to brake rising emissions….Several senior delegates at the U.N. talks say 2010 now looks the most likely date for a new global pact to replace Kyoto. “We’d love a deadline of 2008 or 2009 but that looks unlikely unless Bush has a change of heart,” one said.
Environmentalists want a 2008 deadline. “Technically it’s still not impossible,” said Hans Verolme, climate director of the WWF conservation group. “The planet cannot wait.”
Developing countries say rich states must lead the way — China told Kyoto nations to makes pledges to cut their emissions in 2008 or 2009.” More