U.N. climate panel chief sees "strong deal" ahead

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http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE51J1OK20090220

U.N. climate panel chief sees "strong deal" ahead

Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:18am EST

By Krittivas Mukherjee

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A deal placing a strict emissions regime on rich nations is likely in Copenhagen despite pressures to dilute the climate fight in times of a global financial slowdown, the U.N. climate panel chief said.

R.K. Pachauri said his optimism that rich nations would agree to an emissions cut was rooted in what he was hearing from global leaders and a genuine willingness to do something fast.

But his bullishness is in sharp contrast to a gloomy outlook forecast by some experts who say the financial crisis affects the ability of countries to pay for climate measures or agree to emission cuts when jobs were being lost.

Pachauri said he saw growing political will to consider the global financial downturn an opportunity to build low carbon economies.

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Let's hope he's right!