Opening positions spark debate at Global Climate Change Conference
{{date|December 5, 2007}}
[[Image:Bali Conference Inside.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Inside the conference centre {{image credit|[http://iisd.ca IISD/ ENB-Leila Mead]}}]]
At the [[U.N.]] {{w|2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference|conference}} on Global [[Climate change]] in {{w|Bali}}, the early talk has focused on whether some of the major {{w|developed countries}} will commit to cutting {{w|greenhouse gas|greenhouse gas}} emissions in the coming years. [[Europe]]an states are pushing for steep reductions in emissions, but environmentalists accuse some others of dragging their feet. 

The [[European Union]]'s climate chief, {{w|Artur Runge Metzger}}, says his organization wants greenhouse emissions cut by half by the middle of the century.

"We would like to see global average temperatures rise no more than an average of two degrees compared to pre-industrial levels," Metzger said. "And that would require that global emissions go down by at least 50 percent of the 1990 emissions by the year 2050."

Greenhouse emissions are thought to be causing [[w:global warming|global warming]]. Metzger downplayed differences between the EU and other countries on reduction targets, saying he believes the response to the 50 percent proposal has been increasingly positive. He noted that [[Japan]], [[Canada]] and some members of the [[United States|U.S.]] [[Congress of the United States|congress]] have expressed support for the idea.

Those same countries, however, have been targeted by environmental groups, who say they have failed in their initial statements here to come out strongly enough for significant cuts. {{w|Hans Verolme]] of the group {{w|World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF}} says Japan is being criticized for not including binding targets in its proposal for emission control discussions.

"That in our view would be quite disastrous. It would delay action and it would in fact lead to dangerous climate change," Verolme said.
[[Image:Bali 2007 Conference flags.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Conference entrance {{image credit|[http://www.flickr.com/people/14071207@N00 OpenDemocracy]}}]]
Japan says its proposal is merely an attempt to get the conversation started, and U.N. climate change chief {{w|Yvo de Boer}} has also sought to downplay any differences. De Boer repeatedly points out that the Bali conference is not meant to produce a new climate-change treaty to replace the {{w|Kyoto Protocol}}. That 1997 agreement is set to expire in 2012.

"This meeting in Bali will not finalize a post-2012 climate change deal, that's much too complicated to do in 10 days, but what it can do is put in place a two-year process to work towards such a deal," De Boer said.

Even the two-degree temperature rise that the European Union talks about is predicted to have serious effects on humans and the environment. The U.N.'s [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]] has predicted such a rise would increase the frequency of damaging storms, and make 30 percent of the world's species more vulnerable to extinction.

Thousands of delegates from more than 180 countries are meeting in Bali, which is due to run through December 14. 

{{haveyoursay}}
== Sources ==
{{VOA|title=Opening Positions Spark Debate at Global Climate Change Conference|url=http://voanews.com/english/2007-12-05-voa13.cfm}}
{{wikipediapar|2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference}}
*{{source|url=http://voanews.com/english/2007-12-05-voa13.cfm
|title=Opening Positions Spark Debate at Global Climate Change Conference
|author=Trish Anderton
|pub=VOA News
|date=December 5, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/12/06/news18.asp
|title=Greenhouse emissions: Developed countries urged to act faster
|author=Chamikara Weerasinghe
|pub=Sri Lanka Daily News
|date=December 5, 2007}}
{{publish}}
{{Archived}} 
[[Category:World]]
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Indonesia]]
[[Category:United Nations]]
[[Category:Climate change]]
[[Category:2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference]]
[[Category:Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]]
[[Category:Environment]]
[[Category:Species endangerment]]

[[es:Debates acalorados en la Conferencia de Bali tras discursos de posiciones]]
Inside the conference centre 
At the U.N. conference on Global Climate change in developed countries will commit to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years. European states are pushing for steep reductions in emissions, but environmentalists accuse some others of dragging their feet. 

The European Union's climate chief, , says his organization wants greenhouse emissions cut by half by the middle of the century.

"We would like to see global average temperatures rise no more than an average of two degrees compared to pre-industrial levels," Metzger said. "And that would require that global emissions go down by at least 50 percent of the 1990 emissions by the year 2050."

Greenhouse emissions are thought to be causing global warming. Metzger downplayed differences between the EU and other countries on reduction targets, saying he believes the response to the 50 percent proposal has been increasingly positive. He noted that Japan, Canada and some members of the U.S. congress have expressed support for the idea.

Those same countries, however, have been targeted by environmental groups, who say they have failed in their initial statements here to come out strongly enough for significant cuts. World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF says Japan is being criticized for not including binding targets in its proposal for emission control discussions.

"That in our view would be quite disastrous. It would delay action and it would in fact lead to dangerous climate change," Verolme said.
The Conference entrance 
Japan says its proposal is merely an attempt to get the conversation started, and U.N. climate change chief Kyoto Protocol. That 1997 agreement is set to expire in 2012.

"This meeting in Bali will not finalize a post-2012 climate change deal, that's much too complicated to do in 10 days, but what it can do is put in place a two-year process to work towards such a deal," De Boer said.

Even the two-degree temperature rise that the European Union talks about is predicted to have serious effects on humans and the environment. The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted such a rise would increase the frequency of damaging storms, and make 30 percent of the world's species more vulnerable to extinction.

Thousands of delegates from more than 180 countries are meeting in Bali, which is due to run through December 14.
World Asia Indonesia United Nations Climate change 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Environment Species endangerment