Consensus for Kyoto successor falls short

TOKYO, March 17 (UPI) -- The Group of 20 environment and energy ministers meeting in Japan fell short of a consensus on a framework to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol successor.

Nonetheless, the international group vows to press the fight against global warming, despite some countries expressing concerned about the proposed schemes, The Japan Times reported Monday

"Participating countries share the belief that all nations must join action" to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari said Sunday after the two-day ministerial meeting in Chiba.

Japan promoted its sectoral approach method during the conference, a prep meeting for the Group of Eight summit in July in Tokyo. The sectoral approach focuses on strengthening energy-use efficiency in industrial sectors to hasten the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The proposal was greeted coolly from developing countries, including China and India, for its perceived inequity, Amari said.

The Kyoto Protocol requires major industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5 percent, between 2008 and 2012. The Group of 20 nations account for about 80 percent of the world's CO2 emissions.