The head of the UN climate panel is hopeful that the climate talks in Bali will conclude on Friday with a clear schedule for implementing cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to combat dangerous global warming. The talks, involving 190 nations, are focused on starting discussions on a global agreement to address global warming. However, negotiations have stalled over emissions targets, with the United States, Japan, and Canada opposing specific numerical goals. Rajendra Pachauri, who recently accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of his UN panel, emphasized the importance of establishing a strong commitment to reducing emissions by 2020 and setting a clear timeline for determining the numbers. He suggested that reaching an agreement on a timetable could lead to the adoption of concrete targets for emissions reductions by wealthy nations, possibly within six months. Pachauri also noted the value of explicitly mentioning targets for emissions reductions by 2020. The UN panel this year attributed global warming to human activity and warned of increased heatwaves, floods, droughts, and rising sea levels. The panel emphasized the need for strict mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, suggesting that specific reduction targets should be determined within the next six months. The Bali talks, taking place from Dec. 3-14, are focused on establishing guidelines for formal negotiations on a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which currently regulates greenhouse gas emissions for industrialized nations (excluding the US) until 2012. The EU is advocating for a non-binding target for industrialized economies to reduce emissions by 25 to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. The United States, Japan, and Canada are against providing any figures as they believe it would be prejudging the outcome. Pachauri, the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, did not address the U.S. opposition directly but expressed hope that the negotiations would resolve all differences. He stated that he hopes the disagreement can be resolved and mentioned that discussing strict targets of 25 to 40 percent is a positive sign that they acknowledge the scientific evidence and the necessity of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Pachauri also warned of the serious impacts of climate change if action is not taken.