U.S. stance on climate change shifting, conference delegates say

HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) — A meeting on climate change ended without concrete targets for slashing greenhouse gas emissions, but participants praised what they saw as a new willingness by the United States to discuss possible solutions.

Delegates from the 16 nations that emit the most pollutants, plus the European Union and the United Nations, gathered in Hawaii this week at the invitation of the U.S. to discuss what should be included in a blueprint for combatting climate change.


Among the topics were energy-efficient technologies, ways rich countries could help developing countries, and countering deforestation.

Delegates said the U.S. showed a new flexibility since earlier climate change meetings, and that they were able to talk frankly about their differences.

“We’re happy the position of the United States is changing,” Brice LaLonde, France’s climate change ambassador, said at a news conference Thursday following the two days of closed-door talks at the University of Hawaii.

AP