The Australian
By: Michael Sainsbury Source: Additional Reporting: AFP
China and the US last night resuscitated hopes for a binding deal at next month's Copenhagen climate change talks after President Barack Obama said the two countries had agreed to aim for a comprehensive accord to take "immediate operational effect''.
The likelihood of a deal seemed remote at the weekend after the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Singapore ended with an admission that a global pact would not be reached in the Danish capital. The Asia-Pacific leaders, including Mr Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao, said complex negotiations towards a legally enforceable successor to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, which expires in 2012, were likely to continue after the Copenhagen conference.
A pact between the US and China -- the world's biggest emitters of gases that contribute to climate change -- is seen as the critical component of a broader deal.
Mr Obama said after talks with Mr Hu in Beijing that the countries had agreed ``to work toward a successful outcome in Copenhagen''.
"Our aim there is . . . not a partial accord or a political declaration, but rather an accord that covers all the issues in the negotiations and one that has immediate operational effect,'' he said.
"This kind of comprehensive agreement would be an important step forward in our effort to rally the world around a solution to our climate challenge.''
Mr Obama said China and the US had agreed to take significant steps to reduce carbon emissions, but gave no specifics. "As the two largest consumers and producers of energy, there can be no solution to this challenge without the efforts of both China and the United States,'' he said.
Mr Hu, however, reiterated the stance of developing nations that a new climate pact would see nations have "common but differentiated responsibilities''.
As the two appeared together, Mr Hu vowed to work for "positive, co-operative and comprehensive'' ties with the Obama administration.
However, there were signs of friction on the subjects of Tibet, economics and Iran.
Mr Obama warned if Tehran did not "demonstrate its peaceful intentions'' with its nuclear program, it would face "consequences''. But Mr Hu said the issue needed to be solved through "dialogue and negotiations''.