USA under pressure at climate talks

December 8, 2005

The European Union, Canada, Indonesia and other nations at the United Nations' climate talks in Montreal have put pressure on the United States. Participants at the meeting want the US to join the global Kyoto pact to limit greenhouse gas emissions, to curb extreme weather predictions from global warming.

Environment ministers from over 90 countries are meeting to break a deadlock over how to entice the United States, and other large developing nations such as India and China, to cut production of greenhouse gases. Washington has rejected the pact, saying mandatory emissions cuts would harm its economy.

The United States defended its policy of investing billions of dollars in cleaner technology to reduce emissions, brushing aside calls for it to commit to U.N. discussions on slowing climate change.

At the heart of the Montreal meeting is how to cut emissions after 2012, when the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol climate change pact ends.