WHAT WILL SUCCEED KYOTO PROTOCOL?
The latest: A weeklong gathering of representatives from 163 countries launched a 21-month process aimed at forging a global warming pact to succeed the Kyoto Protocol by late 2009. This week’s agenda: The talks in Bangkok are to focus on setting up an agenda for the next two years. On Monday, many delegates argued the first order of business should be to lay out the steps rich nations should take. What’s at stake: Many scientists agree that the world needs to stabilize emissions of greenhouse gases in the next 10-15 years and slash them by 50 percent by 2050 to prevent triggering devastating environmental changes. The dispute: Developing countries demand that the bulk of the costs and actions be assumed by rich nations while wealthy nations say a pact will only be fair if it calls for up-and-coming polluters to also commit to emissions cuts.
