Bangkok Talks Fail to Resolve Key Climate Issues

The United Nations' latest round of negotiations ended in Bangkok last week without resolving major issues blocking progress before the Copenhagen conference. A global deal is supposed to be reached there in December to replace the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period that expires in 2012. Emission reduction targets and financing the underdeveloped world's compliance remain unresolved. The US is practically unable to commit to any specific target until Congress acts on two pending pieces of climate legislation the Kerry-Boxer bill in the Senate and the Waxman-Markey bill in the House. Neither bill meets the Kyoto Protocol's mandate of an average 5.2% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels. Congress is now locked in a divisive battle over healthcare reform legislation. Substantial progress was reported on the language of a new global agreement, but the commitments for funds and emission levels are missing.