The European Union took a veiled swipe at the United States at climate talks in Bali yesterday over Washington's efforts to remove tough 2020 emissions guidelines for rich nations from draft text.
The talks have become dominated by disputes about whether a final text, or Bali roadmap, shouldomit any reference to scientific evidence that says rich nations should axe greenhouse gas emissions by 25 to 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.
Any watering down or removal of this non-binding range would anger developing nations, who are demanding rich nations do more.
The row has overshadowed a separate finance ministers' meeting in Bali and 10th anniversary celebrations for the Kyoto Protocol.
EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: "Of course it is crucial for the European Union, and not only for the European Union, in order to gather an effective fight against climate change we need this range of reductions for developed countries by 2020. The EU set a target of 30 per cent [by 2020] provided that other developed countries come along, or even more than 30 per cent if it is necessary."
The talks aim to bind all nations to greenhouse gas curbs from 2013, but poor nations want rich countries to do more before they agree.
The US called on the meeting to drop any reference to 2020 guidelines for rich nations, saying it would prejudge the outcome of negotiations.
"We need to put a guard rail around the negotiations for the next two years," said Hans Verolme of the WWF environmental group. He said the 25-40 per cent range was needed for industrial nations to show they were committed to leading.
Finance ministers from about 20 nations debated issues ranging from the potential for carbon markets to help cut industrial emissions, to incentives for solar panels on houses.
"This is much too important to leave to environment ministers," said Nicholas Stern, a former World Bank chief economist who wrote a report saying the costs of fighting climate change would be far smaller than those of ignoring the problem.
"This is about low-carbon growth, not low growth."
