Bali Talks Progress

From the outset, the major schism was between most developing countries and the US, which found itself in a spoiler role. In the final plenary session, challenged to "lead, follow or get out of the way", the US delegation was forced into last-minute concessions.

The meeting had barely closed when George W. Bush expressed "serious concerns", speaking of the "legitimate" right of every country to economic growth and a need for developing countries to take more responsibility for cutting emissions.

But there was progress. First, 188 nations agreed to continue talking, through a meeting in Poland next year leading up to Copenhagen late in 2009, where a successor to Kyoto is to be negotiated.