Deutsche Welle
Sept. 11, 2007

German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel has opened a two-day meeting of environment and energy ministers by calling for a global agreement on climate change by the end of 2009. The Berlin conference is designed to lay the groundwork for the new climate deal and aims to change the position of countries such as China and India who are wary of binding emissions cuts. The two-day gathering is being attended by 20 leading energy consuming countries as well as emerging nations like China, India, Brazil and South Africa. World leaders said at the G8 summit last June they would pursue a new deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012.