BONN, Germany (AP) - Talks to rescue a treaty on combatting global warming moved into their decisive phase Saturday after making major progress in drafting the final negotiating positions - including what appeared to be significant concessions to the United States.
Environmental activists said the parties looked headed for a deal, but delegates were more reserved as they rushed to study the latest proposals for implementing the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
``There is progress and a deal might be in the making,'' the conference chair, Jan Pronk, told reporters after hearing the reports from four committees that drafted positions for the final negotiating document.
The delegates from 178 nations were under pressure to reach a deal while the leaders of eight powerful countries were meeting in Italy. The Group of Eight summit includes the leaders of Japan and Canada, both fence-sitters in the talks, and observers in Bonn said the summit could give political signals that could cinch a deal. (Read photo caption below).
The treaty, which aims to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by 5.2 percent of 1990 levels by 2012, must be ratified by 55 nations responsible for 55 percent of emissions worldwide to come into force.
Pronk presented the latest proposal to the delegates late Saturday, setting the stage for marathon negotiations scheduled to run at least through Sunday. The proposal covers four crucial areas: financing, emission credits for forests soaking up carbon dioxide, mechanisms for offsetting pollution reduction targets and sanctions for failing to meet those targets.
Among the issues that appeared to be going Washington's way was forest management, with proposed emissions caps largely in line with an approach that was acceptable to the United States in the past. Negotiators also seemed receptive to U.S. concerns that it will be required to help pay for implementation of the treaty.
While the United States has indicated it won't join the treaty, and therefore would not be bound by its rules, it is concerned about precedents being set under Kyoto that could be carried over to other international agreements. And at the same time, delegates are trying to draft a treaty that other U.S. administrations might one day join.
PHOTO CAPTION:
French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac (C) and U.N. Secretary General Koffi Annan applaud as Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi speaks and U.S. President George W. Bush listens at the G8 economic summit in Genoa, Italy July 20, 2001. Bush has vowed to stand up for his views on issues like missile defense and global warming at the Group of Eight summit of world leaders because they were right, not because the United States was isolationist. REUTERS/Win McNamee
- Jul 20 12:37 PM ET