During climate talks in Bonn involving 170 nations, there are proposals to expand a UN scheme that helps developing nations build nuclear power plants in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is a controversial option within the scheme, which allows rich nations to invest in projects abroad and receive credit for reducing emissions domestically. Yvo de Boer, head of the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, acknowledged the need to consider this issue, along with other proposals such as capturing and storing carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants and increasing efforts to promote reforestation. Various countries and environmental activists are against the idea of extending the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to encompass nuclear energy. The CDM, a component of the United Nations' Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions until 2012, is being criticized for potentially including nuclear power. Martin Hiller from the WWF conservation organization stated that nuclear power is not the way forward and should not be a part of the CDM, which should focus on promoting renewable energy sources. He stated that despite emitting minimal greenhouse gases compared to coal, oil, and gas, nuclear power was considered too risky. The discussions in Bonn regarding the restructuring of the CDM, as part of negotiations for a new U.N. climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, will not result in any decisions. Many delegates are against including nuclear power in the CDM, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding whether nuclear power should be used as an alternative to fossil fuels to combat climate change. De Boer estimated that the CDM could potentially provide up to $100 billion annually to developing nations if industrialized countries agreed to significant emission reductions and allocated half of those reductions to foreign countries. The assumption was made that credits for preventing greenhouse gas emissions would average $10 per ton. The CDM has approved or is considering projects that would prevent a total of 2.7 billion tonnes of emissions by 2012, which is roughly equal to the annual emissions of Japan, Germany, and Britain combined. De Boer disagreed with criticisms that the CDM was flawed, such as benefiting carbon traders and companies in China that destroy HFC 23, a potent greenhouse gas. He argued that removing this gas and making a profit is not morally wrong, as the market mechanism is effective. Other critiques of the program question if the funding has resulted in reductions in emissions, or if these reductions would have occurred regardless due to preexisting government support for wind power in China or India.