The expected new agreement will hopefully define new greenhouse gases (GHG) emission reduction commitments for industrialized countries after 2012, when the first commitment period 2008-2012 of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol expires.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, 38 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), including the European Union, the United States, and Japan, are subject to binding national targets on emission reduction by an average 5.2 percent by 2012 from the 1990 level.

Developing countries like China, India and least-developed countries, would take domestic actions to join global cooperation action in climate change mitigation and adaptation, by reducing emissions with technical and financing support by developed countries, but are not subject to binding emission cut targets, according to the Protocol.

(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2008)