A new set of UN climate negotiations is starting in Mexico with nearly 200 countries gathering to try to reach an agreement on key issues dividing wealthy and developing nations. The conference in Cancun will focus on securing funds and strategies to protect rain forests and prepare for a warmer planet, as well as formalizing existing goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This event lacks the excitement of last year's Copenhagen summit, which aimed to reach a new climate agreement but ultimately produced a non-binding deal rejected by some developing countries. The ongoing UN talks have highlighted the tensions between the top two polluters, the United States and China, with the US pushing for China to do more to reduce emissions, similar to the pressure on trade and human rights. Mexican President Felipe Calderon highlighted the economic benefits of addressing climate change on the eve of the talks, seeking to overcome distrust from previous summits. He emphasized that the choice between protecting the environment and fighting poverty, or between addressing climate change and promoting economic growth, is not a real dilemma. Calderon pointed to renewable energy as a solution, showcasing a wind turbine that would power the conference hotel. He stated that the focus of the talks would be on preparing for a warmer world, particularly important for poorer nations, with a primary emphasis on adaptation. However, this perspective clashed with EU negotiators, who stressed the need for stronger commitments to existing emissions targets, especially from developing countries. "We will seek a limited number of decisions in Cancun. We are hopeful that we will establish a clear path forward," stated Artur Runge-Metzger, a senior EU negotiator, on Sunday. Peter Wittoeck, a senior negotiator with Belgium, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, also mentioned, "We can see the beginnings of a compromise." The primary goal of the discussions is to reach an agreement for a more stringent climate deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, in order to increase efforts to combat global warming. Studies released on Sunday indicated that in the worst-case scenario of climate change, global temperatures could rise by 4 degrees Celsius (7.2F) by the 2060s, requiring an annual investment of $270 billion just to mitigate the impacts of rising sea levels.