The head of the UN climate panel is hopeful that the climate talks in Bali will conclude on Friday with a specific schedule for implementing cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to combat the threat of dangerous global warming. The ongoing talks involving 190 nations are focused on initiating discussions for a global agreement to address global warming, but have faced obstacles due to opposition from the United States, Japan, and Canada regarding setting numerical targets for emissions reductions. Rajendra Pachauri, who recently accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of his UN panel, emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement on emission reduction targets by 2020 and establishing a clear timeline for deciding on specific numbers. He suggested that reaching a consensus on a timetable could lead to the adoption of concrete targets for emissions reductions by wealthy nations, possibly within six months. Pachauri believes that explicitly mentioning emission reduction targets for 2020 would be a step in the right direction. The UN panel attributed global warming to human activity and warned of increased heatwaves, floods, droughts, and rising sea levels. They emphasized the need for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and suggested that specific targets should be established within the next six months. The Bali talks, taking place from Dec. 3-14, are focused on setting guidelines for formal negotiations on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. The EU is pushing for a non-binding agreement at Bali to cut emissions by 25 to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 for industrialized nations. The United States, Japan, and Canada are against providing any figures, as they believe it would influence the final decision. Pachauri, the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, declined to comment on the U.S.' opposition, expressing hope that the negotiations will resolve all disagreements. He stated that discussing targets of 25 to 40 percent reduction in emissions is a positive sign that they acknowledge the scientific evidence and the necessity of reducing greenhouse gases to prevent serious consequences of climate change.