UNITED NATIONS — Leaders from Poland, Norway, Denmark and Indonesia on Wednesday pressed for a global climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol next year but said prospects were extremely unfavorable.
Some said replacing the 1997 global-warming accord depends largely on the United States dropping its opposition to participating, and whether wealthy and poorer nations can bridge their differences over sharing technology and cutting emissions.
The U.N. is campaigning to replace the accord, which regulates the emissions of 37 industrial countries, with another accord at a meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009. If approved, it would take effect in 2012, when Kyoto expires.
The U.S. rejected the Kyoto Protocol, arguing it would harm American business and didn’t require similar cuts by China, India and other emerging economies. But those developing countries have refused to accept a binding arrangement that would limit their development.
“Without the United States, we can never succeed,” said Norwegian Environment Minister Erik Solheim. “If the Americans are not moving, anyone else who does not want to move will hide behind the Americans.”
The new accord is expected to aim for global cuts of 50 percent by 2050, below the 1990 levels of carbon emissions.
Meanwhile Wednesday, Bill Clinton’s annual summit of world leaders and celebrities opened with the former president sharing the stage with rock star Bono and dignitaries including his former vice president, Al Gore.
At an event coinciding with the U.N. General Assembly, Gore warned that humanity is struggling in the fight against climate change.
The initiative, in its fourth year, draws world leaders, celebrities, activists and scholars for three days of discussions about pressing global issues, including climate change and poverty.
Gore was joined at the opening plenary session by Clinton, Queen Rania of Jordan, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, Bono and E. Neville Isdell, chairman of the board of directors for Coca-Cola.
