Environment ministers agreed at UN talks on Saturday to begin a new round of negotiations to decide the shape of the Kyoto Protocol after the first phase ends in 2012.
Following are highlights of their decisions.
The 157 countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol agreed:
- to start "a process to consider further commitments" for developed nations beyond 2012, when a first phase of curbs on carbon dioxide runs out.
Officials would meet in May 2006 to discuss ideas. The text did not spell out what type of "commitments" they would seek. Under Kyoto, about 40 nations have to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012.
- The process "shall begin without delay and shall be conducted in an open-ended ad hoc working group of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol" which would report to each annual session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto's parent treaty.
- "The group shall aim to complete its work and have its results adopted ... as early as possible and in time to ensure that there is no gap between the first and second commitment periods."
Some green groups say the agreement falls short of what is needed because it does not enshrine a fixed date for talks to end or mention any move to support targets on emissions cuts.
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
