Second in a series
OSAKA — With just weeks before key climate talks take place in Copenhagen, the success or failure of reaching any sort of binding agreement to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol appears to be coming down to dealing with the political concerns of the U.S. Senate and the Chinese leadership.
In the case of America, the Wednesday announcement by U.S. President Barack Obama that the U.S. will commit to a 17 percent reduction by 2020, based on 2005 levels, was immediately seen by many in Washington as a major step toward reaching a successful outcome at Copenhagen.