Global economy woes cast shadow on climate talks

BANGKOK (AFP) – As more than 160 nations continued talks here Wednesday about what to do after the Kyoto Protocol’s obligations end in 2012, environmentalists say the painstakingly tough negotiations are getting even harder as concerns mount that the global economy is heading into recession.

Even when the economic outlook looked brighter, the United States led criticism that the existing Kyoto Protocol’s requirements on cutting greenhouse gases would prove too costly for rich countries.


“There’s no question it’s going to make enacting climate policy more difficult,” said Angela Anderson, head of the global warming campaign at the Washington-based Pew Environment Group.

“The economic situation is going to make the fight about cost containment versus ambitious emissions reductions that much more controversial,” she said.

AFP