The UN's top climate change official urged the European Union to quickly come up with solutions to assist developing nations in combating global warming in order to prevent a potential impasse that could hinder global action. Yvo de Boer emphasized the importance of industrialized countries prioritizing this issue and providing additional resources to help poorer nations reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement reached in Bali in December highlighted the need for a global plan to address climate change by the end of 2009, building on the Kyoto Protocol's efforts to reduce greenhouse gases among 37 industrialized nations. This would then motivate developing countries to shift their economies from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources. The commitment of developing nations, particularly China and India, is crucial for many wealthy nations, such as the United States, who are concerned about job losses, to reduce emissions. The United States is the only wealthy nation that is not part of the Kyoto Protocol. According to de Boer, head of the U.N., it is becoming a challenging situation where the lack of resources to engage developing countries makes it hard for the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, and potentially the EU to progress, leading to difficulties in moving forward. The EU claims to be a frontrunner in combating climate change, as warned by the U.N. Climate Panel, which predicts an increase in heatwaves, floods, droughts, and rising sea levels. De Boer suggested new funding ideas such as auctioning carbon dioxide emission rights in the EU and using the profits to assist developing countries. Another option is to raise the levy on a Kyoto project that enables 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 combatting climate change. He stressed the need for generating resources for developing countries to encourage their engagement in climate initiatives. De Boer also called on French President Nicolas Sarkozy to finalize an EU package of climate measures during the French EU presidency in the second half of 2008. The EU Commission had previously proposed cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, increasing the use of renewable energy in power production to 20 percent, and incorporating 10 percent of biofuels in transport by 2020. De Boer highlighted the significance of completing the climate package under the French presidency so that it can be forwarded to the European Parliament. France and Germany expressed concerns last week that the plan could put European jobs at risk. De Boer emphasized the importance of the EU sharing the burden and delivering on their commitments. He also noted that clear signals about how the target will be achieved are crucial for the EU's international credibility. Visit Reuters for the latest environment blogs.