Discussions about global warming between nearly 200 countries are currently being held in Bali at the inter-governmental convention on climate change.

Formal negotiations for a new climate treaty will begin next year - the current guidelines call for industrialised countries to reduce their emissions by between 25 and 40 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020.

Chief US negotiator Harlan L. Watson was vague in his response to the targets at a news conference, claiming that the proposed limits were unreasonable. He said that starting with exact numbers would “prejudge” the outcome of initial discussions. United Nations climate chief Yvo de Boer argued, however, that such changes were essential to prevent global warming worsening and would help stimulate investment in technology to help reduce emissions. The Bush administration has continued to insist that the Kyoto Protocol, which binds industrialised countries to lower emissions targets, would damage the US economy while not placing any limitations on developing industrial countries such as India and China. Other nations at the conference are hopeful that America's stance will change with the new administration in 2008.