High-level representatives of more than 190 countries will begin gathering for a UN summit on the Indonesian island of Bali today in an effort to reach agreement on how to broker a worldwide deal aimed at tackling climate change.
With overwhelming scientific evidence that global warming is a man-made phenomenon, embodied in a series of reports produced this year by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is more pressure than ever to deal with the issue.
The EU, which is now likely to meet its Kyoto Protocol target for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for causing climate change, will also press for progress on a "road map" for the post-2012 period after Kyoto expires.
"The scientific evidence of climate change highlighted by the IPCC is compelling and alarming," said EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas. "The only responsible reaction is to step up global efforts to limit emissions of greenhouse gases.
"That is why in Bali we must agree to launch negotiations on a global and comprehensive climate agreement and define a 'roadmap' setting out its main components. The conference must also fix the end of 2009 as the deadline for completing the negotiations."
The EU's position aims to limit global warming to two degrees above pre-industrial levels. This would require emissions to stop rising within the next 15 years and be halved before 2050. As a token of good faith, the EU has committed to reducing its emissions by at least 20 per cent by 2020 and even more if developed countries like the US are prepared to agree collectively to make deeper cuts in their emissions.
The EU will also be seeking "fair and effective contributions" by other countries, especially emerging economies like China and India, that would cap the "emissions intensity" of their growth.
Europe's position at the talks has been strengthened by the change of government in Australia, where the new prime minister, Kevin Rudd, has set aside his predecessor John Howard's opposition to Kyoto by pledging to sign up to the treaty.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley will represent Ireland. He said he intended to "push for the most ambitious agreement possible to cover the period following the expiration of Kyoto in 2012".
