By Nina Chestney and Valerie Volcovici
LONDON, Oct 22 (Reuters) - The United States called on Tuesday for a more flexible approach to a new United Nations' climate deal which balances the needs of all countries and has a better chance of success.
Two years ago, some 190 countries agreed to develop a pact to succeed the Kyoto Protocol which would force all nations to cut their greenhouse gas emissions. The deal is to be signed by 2015 and come into force in 2020.
Countries will meet again next month to work on the content and design of the new deal in Warsaw but progress this year has been slow.
Meanwhile, a scientific consensus that mankind is to blame for global warming has grown, putting pressure on governments - many of which have been focused on spurring weak economies rather than fighting climate change - to commit to ambitious emissions cuts.
In a speech at a conference at Chatham House in London, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern said for a new deal to be ambitious and fair it will require flexibility.
"A rigid approach is the enemy," he said.
Rather than negotiated targets and timetables, countries should be allowed to determine their own levels of commitment depending on their circumstances and means, Stern said.
This could be accompanied by a consultative period before the commitments are agreed to in which all countries and outside bodies can review them, and in which countries explain why their proposals are fair and adequate.
In 2009, the United States outlined a path for steep cuts in its emissions of 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 and 42 percent by 2030 but it has not yet reaffirmed this.
The deal will stand a better chance of working if the rules which govern it are less rigid, Stern said.
A very formal system based on rules for complying with targets and penalties for failing to meet them might sound good but would limit the ambition of many countries and their participation, he added.
The legal nature of the agreement also needs to be flexible.
Two years ago, countries did not specify precisely how a new deal would be legally binding, allowing for a "protocol, another legal instrument, or an agreed outcome with legal force."
Nations are in the early stages of discussing which elements of a new deal would be legally binding, but insisting that all aspects be internationally legally binding could be detrimental, Stern said.
Critics say that too much flexibility could soften the new agreement, making countries less inclined to pledge strict emissions cuts and/or stick by them.
"If we are all ambitious, why shouldn't we put our commitments in a legal document that binds us all? Whatever countries pledge must have the same legal weight," said European Commission spokesman Isaac Valero-Ladron.
The new agreement will replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which bound about 35 industrialised nations to cut their emissions until the end of 2012. Last year, the protocol was extended to 2020, after which the new pact will take over.
Kyoto's effectiveness, however, was limited because it divided countries into rich and poor and developing nations such as China did not have binding emissions cut targets. The United States also never ratified the pact.
It is "unacceptable" to use the same categories in a new deal to determine who is expected to do what, Stern said.
China is now the world's biggest emitter and South Korea is now listed as one of the International Monetary Fund's 35 most advanced economies.
"Such a separation is inimical to ambition. It would also be viewed as deeply unfair by many countries, thus undermining the political cohesion we need to build an effective and durable climate system going forward," Stern said. (Additional reporting by Barbara Lewis in Brussels; editing by Jason Neely)
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.