SINGAPORE: Leaders of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) said yesterday that they are committed to work towards an "ambitious" outcome on an upcoming major UN climate change conference but leaders dropped a specific target to cut greenhouse gas emission in a joint declaration issued before the group's two-day summit concluded.

State and government leaders threw support behind a proposed two-step plan for December's climate talks in Copenhagen that would leave legally binding agreements until later.

"Anthropogenic climate change is one of the biggest global challenges. It will impact each of our economies," the APEC leaders' declaration said, adding: "We...reaffirm our commitment to tackle the threat of climate change and work towards an ambitious outcome in Copenhagen."

Leaders from about 190 countries are expected to attend the UN Copenhagen conference from Dec 7-18. The meeting is expected to lay the ground for renewing greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets set by the Kyoto Protocol before they expire in 2012. The 21-member APEC accounts for approximately 60 percent of the world energy consumption.

But APEC leaders pulled back from putting a time-frame to reach the 50 percent emission cut target by 2050 as appeared in the draft declaration.

"There was an assessment by the leaders that it was unrealistic to expect a full internationally legally binding agreement to be negotiated between now and when Copenhagen starts in 22 days," a top US negotiator, Michael Froman, told reporters in Singapore.

The proposal - spelt out to the leaders by Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen - would pave the way for a political accord in Copenhagen and put tortuous haggling over commitments on a slower track, but still with a deadline.

"Given the time factor and the situation of individual countries we must, in the coming weeks, focus on what is possible and not let ourselves be distracted by what is not possible," Rasmussen told the meeting.

"The Copenhagen Agreement should finally mandate continued legal negotiations and set a deadline for their conclusion," added Rasmussen, whose presence at the Asia-Pacific summit in Singapore was a last-minute surprise.

Diplomats said the two-track approach would give breathing space for Washington to clear political hurdles over climate change legislation.

It would provide time for the US Senate to pass the climate bill in the first part of 2010, allowing the administration to bring a 2020 target and financing pledges to the table during a major UN climate meeting in Bonn in mid-2010.

Chinese President Hu Jintao urged progress on the developed world offering funds and technology. Stressing that China will continue to take strong measures to contribute its share to the international efforts against climate change, Hu said developed countries should accept deep cuts and the developing world should contribute according to each nation's ability.

Two-step approach binding

The latest draft APEC leaders' statement has removed an earlier reference to halving emissions by 2050.

Rasmussen stressed in his comments to the Asia-Pacific leaders that a two-step approach would not lead to a partial agreement and would be binding. "We cannot do half a deal in Copenhagen and postpone the rest till later," he said. "I do not share the view that it will be possible in Copenhagen to do some parts of the deal and not the other. We need the commitments. We need the figures. We need the action."

Reuters-Xinhua-China Daily

(China Daily 11/16/2009 page10)