The UN's top climate change official, Yvo de Boer, urged the European Union to quickly develop strategies to assist developing countries in combating global warming in order to prevent a potential deadlock that could hinder global action. De Boer emphasized the importance of industrialized nations prioritizing this issue and increasing aid to help developing nations reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement reached in Bali, Indonesia, in December involved setting a global plan by 2009 to address climate change, expanding on the Kyoto Protocol which binds 37 industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gases until 2012. De Boer stressed the need for a tangible increase in resources as indicated by the Bali agreement. This would then encourage developing countries to shift their economies away from fossil fuels and towards cleaner energy sources. The commitment of developing nations, particularly China and India, is crucial for many wealthy countries, led by the United States, to reduce emissions. Without the involvement of developing countries, it becomes challenging for countries like the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the EU to make progress in this area. The Climate Secretariat in Bonn is focusing on addressing the increasing challenges of climate change, such as floods and heatwaves. The EU is recognized as a leader in combating climate change, with the U.N. Climate Panel warning of more extreme weather events like heatwaves, floods, droughts, and rising sea levels in the coming century. De Boer, from the Climate Secretariat, suggests innovative funding solutions like auctioning carbon dioxide emission rights in the EU and using the proceeds to support developing nations. Another option is to increase a levy on the Kyoto project, which allows wealthy nations to invest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. De Boer emphasized the importance of EU budgets for research and development in tackling climate change. He stated that without resources for developing countries, it would be challenging for the EU to effectively address climate change. De Boer also called on French President Nicolas Sarkozy to finalize a package of climate measures during the French EU presidency in the latter half of 2008. The EU Commission had previously proposed goals such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and increasing the use of renewable energy to 20 percent in power production. De Boer stressed the need for the package to be completed under the French presidency so that it can be presented to the European Parliament. France and Germany expressed concerns last week about how the plan could put European jobs at risk. De Boer emphasized that the European Union needs to fulfill its commitments and distribute the responsibilities fairly. It is crucial for the EU's credibility on the global stage to provide clear signals on how they will achieve the target. To read more environment blogs from Reuters, click on the following link.