BARCELONA - The United States came under increased pressure yesterday to produce a plan for fighting climate change and to offer an internationally acceptable policy for curbing the pollution that is hastening global warming.
As United Nations climate talks reconvened, countries stepped up calls on Washington for specific commitments on reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a global climate fund to help poor countries deal with the damage already being caused by climate change.
The negotiating round in Barcelona is meant to prepare the text of a pact to be adopted at a major UN conference next month in Copenhagen.
The deal would replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, but require industrial countries - and developing countries - to rein in emissions of carbon and other heat-raising greenhouse gases. Kyoto applied only to industrialized nations, and was rejected by the United States.
Delegates to the Barcelona talks were showing frustration that after two years of talks, the United States has been unable to make firm commitments because it is waiting for Congress to enact legislation.
US chief delegate Jonathan Pershing said the United States intends to be part of a deal.
