Australia Plans Carbon Scheme Counting
U.S. and China

Australia is planning a regional carbon emissions trading scheme that would count China and the United States, and hopes for backing at a September meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders, local media said on Saturday.

As host of this year's APEC summit in Sydney, to be attended by U.S. President George W. Bush, Australia's Prime Minister John Howard was backing a "Sydney declaration" on a scheme placing a price on carbon emissions.

APEC economies, including China, Russia, the United States and Japan, are responsible for 60 per cent of global energy consumption.

The scheme would build on the six-nation Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, counting Australia, China, the United States, Japan, South Korea and India, the Weekend Australian newspaper said.

Australia, like close ally the United States, refuses to sign the Kyoto Protocol setting caps on Greenhouse Gas emissions, and has called for a global scheme to replace "Old Kyoto." Full story