Draft climate proposals reveal split on new pact

By Gerard Wynn

LONDON (Reuters) - A gulf needs to be bridged if the world is to sign a new climate treaty by a December deadline, according to proposals from more than 30 countries posted on a U.N. website on Tuesday.

The first suggested texts for a new pact underlined a rich-poor split on sharing the cost of fighting climate change, which has hampered ongoing U.N.-led climate talks meant to agree a deal in Copenhagen at the end of the year.

Rich countries agree they have to lead a climate fight after enjoying two centuries of industrialization, spewing billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the air.

They differ with developing nations on how much of the burden they should carry.

In proposals dated April and posted this week Canada said all countries should commit to concrete, 2020 emissions' limits.

Japan recommended unspecified emissions' targets per unit of economic output for big developing nations "with a view to limiting substantially their greenhouse gas emission growth."

That contrasted with the view of developing nations such as India.

"Developing countries may, on a voluntary basis, propose mitigation actions ... provided full costs are met by developed countries," read India's text.