World’s big polluters talk climate

US: Representatives of the world’s 17 biggest carbon polluters started thursday a week of high-level and high-stakes talks on climate change at a meeting in Washington.

The aim of the talks, which will be held for two days at the State Department before moving to New York next week and then to Pittsburgh, is to try to patch up differences and generate momentum for a much heralded meeting in Copenhagen in December, where a UN conference hopes to produce an ambitious new pact rolling back global warming.

The meetings come as Washington tries to resume a leadership role on climate change, and follow a warning from UN chief Ban Ki-moon that world leaders need to “get moving” on climate change.

The Guardian also reported that Europe has clashed with the US administration over how to cut emissions and tackle global warming — reports which, if true, suggest talks will be tense over the next week.

The European Union, France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom will be among participants at the talks at the State Department, along with Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, and host, the United States. Washington, Thursday, AFP