Representatives from the US and the European Union (EU) were optimistic about the possibility of reaching a global agreement to combat climate change, but stated that the negotiations for a new climate treaty will be anything but easy. After two days of meetings of the 17 largest and emerging economies in the world, there is more optimism about prospects for a deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012. The conference where the new climate treaty will be forged shall be in Copenhagen this December.

The US-led forum brought together the countries responsible for 80% of all emissions of greenhouse gases, plus the UN, EU, and Denmark as the country hosting the December conference. The meetings were intended to serve as an instrument for forging a consensus towards the negotiations in December.

The EU believes that the US contribution is crucial to the fight against climate change. Despite the praise directed at Washington by the EU, the differences between the two sides on key issues such as reducing emissions of toxic gases are still evident. Obama wants a 15% reduction in US emissions of greenhouse gases until 2020. The EU, on the other hand, aims for a reduction of 20% until 2020 and is ‘ready to get to 30 percent if other developed countries show the same commitment.’

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Via France 24