A group of rapidly growing carbon emitters, which is crucial for a global agreement on climate change, is now open to discussing the future of the Kyoto Protocol in order to gain the support of the United States. The Kyoto Protocol currently requires about 40 wealthy nations to reduce emissions by 2008-12, but developing countries are pushing for a stricter second commitment period. Many developed countries oppose this demand and want to move away from Kyoto in order to include emerging markets like India and China. The upcoming meeting of the environment ministers from Brazil, South Africa, India and China - known as the BASIC nations - will focus on building trust with wealthy nations, according to the agenda obtained by Reuters. The question of how long the Kyoto Protocol will last will be a key topic of discussion. The meeting agenda for the upcoming event in South Africa on April 25-26 includes discussing the possibility of a shorter second commitment period focused on ensuring carbon markets. Another topic on the agenda is exploring potential alternatives to the Kyoto Protocol if no second commitment period is agreed upon. The lack of trust between wealthy and developing nations regarding the distribution of responsibilities in combating climate change has hindered progress in global negotiations. Officials are less optimistic about reaching a comprehensive agreement in Mexico in November. Therefore, the willingness of BASIC nations to compromise on the Kyoto Protocol could potentially facilitate progress in negotiations and bring the United States, which never ratified the protocol, on board. An Indian negotiator characterized the agenda as "realistic" and focused on exploring all possible options to achieve a favorable outcome for all parties. The BASIC meeting agenda also includes discussions on incorporating elements of the Copenhagen Accord, a political agreement negotiated last year with the United States, into the current negotiation process. The Copenhagen Accord aims to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and provide $100 billion in aid by 2020. The text also includes details about actions taken by many countries, including major greenhouse gas emitters, to reduce their emissions by 2020. The original purpose of the Copenhagen conference was to establish a global agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol. The upcoming meeting in South Africa will discuss the possibility of expanding the BASIC bloc of nations and utilizing groups like the G20 and Major Economies Forum for negotiations. Developing countries are pushing for ongoing negotiations on two fronts: creating a successor to Kyoto for 2013 and implementing long-term strategies to combat climate change globally.