Stern hopes for US carbon reduction cooperation

Lord Stern has said that he hopes Barack Obama will encourage US agreement on a global carbon reduction plan.

The economist explained that for any international initiative to prove successful, US and Chinese support is crucial.

In an interview with the BBC, he said that America could be heading for a new approach to climate change.

Terming George W Bush's stance as "prehistoric", Lord Stern told the BBC that carbon reduction is a "night and day" issue for Mr Obama.

"That is a very big change and, while people saw the United States as a obstacle, now people are saying well perhaps the United States could really lead on this," he said on the Today programme.

"And it is going to have to - because the two big ones on this are the United States and China."

Climate change played a large part in the Democrats election campaign, with Obama announcing a plan to introduce a cap-and-trade system across the US economy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7805595.stm