Climate talks in Bali are nearing conclusion, and it still looks as though the negotiators from the United States are squared up to impede progress there. Discussion between nations is currently divided over setting the ground rules for formal negotiations of a new pact, and the United States is at the head of opposition to any mention of binding targets in those rules. China continues to refuse to back targets unless the United States is on board. United Nations officials say there hasn't been much progress at the summit, and some sort of breakthrough is needed there in the next two days in order to get on the right track for negotiations of a new treaty to be completed by 2009.
Pressure on the U.S. is mounting from even our former allies on this front, like Australia, whose new prime minister Kevin Rudd officially signed his country onto the Kyoto Protocol on Wednesday. This leaves the United States as the only developed nation that hasn't signed Kyoto.
I'm not hopeful that the United States representatives in Bali will come around on emissions targets in the next two days, but Rudd's action today is a good step. It will probably take a new administration here as well for for our official policy to change, but at least others are moving forward without us.
--Kate Sheppard
