UK 'optimistic' on climate talks

Freak forest fires are being put down to global warming

UK environment minister Michael Meacher has said he remains "cautiously optimistic" that an international agreement will be found on combating climate change.

Mr Meacher was speaking as UN negotiations on the crucial issue enter their second week in The Hague, with the US and the European Union still unable to agree on how best to implement cuts in greenhouse gas emissions agreed at the Kyoto summit in 1997.

The fact is we have all suffered the effects of global warming

Michael Meacher

Following the slow pace of negotiations the conference president has warned there is no guarantee of success.

But the environment minister, who is accompanying Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at the talks, said he believed the US was well aware that an agreement was in its interests.

'Crunch issues'

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "I would say on half the issues last week there has been a resolution. There remain about half a dozen crunch issues.

"The fact is we have all suffered, the United States included, the effects of global warming."

In America there are now, he said, forest fires, flooding in Louisiana and infestation of malaria and west Nile fever, all because of global warming.

He added: "They are beginning to suffer the consequences, like we have the effects of floods, and they have a very strong incentive to reach an agreement because we all know there is one global atmosphere."

Differences between the US and the EU surround the idea of 'carbon sinks' - or creating forests to absorb some of the emissions created by the use of fossil fuels.

The US is keen on the idea, but the EU says carbon sinks are unpredictable and that although trees do absorb carbon emissions they can also release them.

Emission cuts

As part of its package of proposals the US wants to be able to trade carbon emission credits and purchase foreign sinks.

But the EU argues the only sure way to tackle global warming is to press ahead with cuts in the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.

The agreement reached at Kyoto in Japan three years ago - which forms the basis for the current negotiations in The Hague - called for a worldwide reduction of emissions of carbon-based gases by an average 5.2% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012.

Europe is committed to cutting emissions by 8%, Japan by 6%, the US by 7%.

Cleaner transport

On Monday UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott unveiled a £69m package of measures targeted at achieving the agreed reductions.

The money will help tackle air pollution from buses, taxis and cars.

The government will also more than double its annual spending on encouraging the use and development of greener cars.

Vehicles that cause less pollution and less greenhouse gases will be supported, while £30m will go towards the purchase of around 35,000 gas and electric vehicles.