Talks Stall at Global Warming Summit

T H E   H A G U E, Netherlands, Nov. 24 -- Digging in their heels despite anapproaching deadline, delegates at global warming talks todaydismissed a last-minute compromise proposal as a sellout to theUnited States.

“We want the success of this conference,” said GermanEnvironment Minister Juergen Trittin. “But the benchmark for us isenvironmental integrity.”

Negotiators from more than 180 countries are under pressure tostrike a deal on reducing greenhouse gas emissions that scientistsay are heating up the earth’s atmosphere.

U.S. Demands Credit

Delegations are considering an array of proposals aimed athelping countries meet reductions targets without antagonizing pooror rich countries, major industries or environmental groups.

The talks stalled Thursday over a U.S. demand to get credit forgreenhouse gas “sinks” — forests, farmland and other vegetationwhich naturally absorb carbon dioxide.

The proposed compromise was put forward by the conferencechairman, Dutch Environment Minister Jan Pronk, after the meetingdeadlocked.

“Now is the time to strike a deal,” the chairman told a newsconference Thursday night.

Many delegates said the proposal caved in to the “UmbrellaGroup,” a U.S.-led bloc including Canada, Japan, Australia and afew other countries that would benefit from the sinks proposal.

“Some of us thought yesterday Thanksgiving turned into‘sinks-giving,’” Trittin half-joked.

He said the proposal was so watered down that it was “weakerthan the text of the Kyoto Protocol,” a 1997 treaty that settargets for global emissions reductions.

“Our concern is that the rules would allow countries toselectively count credits for land use projects or activities thatdeliver no new benefit to the atmosphere,” said New Zealanddelegate Pete Hodgson.

Deadline Looms

Negotiators, who began their talks on Nov. 13, have untilSaturday to agree on ways of meeting targets for emissions cuts.