Manaus (Brazil):
New US and Chinese proposals on combating global warming are "extremely encouraging" French President Nicolas Sarkozy said at a one-day climate change meeting in Manaus, Brazil.
At a press conference, Sarkozy praised US President Barack Obama's "courage" for setting goals that would reduce US carbon emissions by 17 per cent by 2020.
The meeting of officials from nations that straddle the Amazon river basin aims to adopt tough measures to combat global warming and preserve rainforests, ahead of the December 7-18 climate change conference in the Danish capital Copenhagen.
"The latest statements by Barack Obama and China's leaders are extremely encouraging in making Copenhagen a success," said Sarkozy, who is attending the meeting because France's overseas department of French Guiana is in the region.
Beijing has vowed to cut carbon intensity, measured per unit of GDP, by 40-to-45 per cent from 2005 levels within a decade, putting its first-ever emissions targets on the table.
The new proposals by the world's two biggest carbon emitters for curbing pollution may have breathed life into UN climate talks, but fall short of what scientists say is needed to avert serious global warming.