Russian climate plans show tough path to U.N. treaty

By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent

OSLO (Reuters) - Russia's opposition to new cuts in greenhouse gases means all of the world's top four emitters are against making quick reductions, complicating plans for a new U.N. climate treaty by the end of 2009.

"The positions ... are just the tip of the iceberg of the problems ahead," said Bill Hare, a scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. The United States, China, Russia and India are the top emitters.

The U.N. Climate Panel said last year that world emissions of heat-trapping gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels, will have to peak within the next 10 to 15 years to avoid the worst impacts of droughts, floods, heat waves and rising seas.

Russian officials said on Monday that Moscow would not accept new binding caps on emissions under a new climate deal to succeed the existing Kyoto Protocol beyond 2013. The treaty is due to be agreed at a meeting in Copenhagen at the end of 2009.

"We hope that reason prevails," said Barbara Helfferich, a spokeswoman for the European Union's executive Commission. The EU plans greenhouse gas cuts of 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, and of 30 percent if other developed nations agree.

"Climate change needs to be fought globally. We need everybody on board and we regret the fact that any country would preclude any binding commitment at this stage," she said.

U.S. President George W. Bush announced on April 16 that U.S. emissions would peak in 2025, setting a cap for a first time but criticized by some allies as too far in the future.

POVERTY