Familiar Issues Vex Climate Pact

Delegates from the world's economic powers convened in Washington for a new round of climate talks this week, searching for a way to improve the chances of securing a new global warming pact in a time of intense economic and political uncertainty. The meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate -- which includes the world's 17 biggest emitters of greenhouse gases -- marked the start of three weeks of negotiations that could help determine whether the international community can reach a meaningful agreement by the end of the year to curb climate change. The key questions that have dominated the talks from the beginning remain unresolved: What level of emissions cuts are both industrialized and major developing countries willing to embrace? What sort of financing will developed countries provide to help vulnerable nations adapt to climate change and to help emerging economies embark on a more environmentally sustainable growth trajectory?...WPost