Bali Island, Indonesia - German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Tuesday that Germany along with the European Union would be fighting at the UN climate conference for targets to be set for reducing greenhouse emissions, but warned of difficult negotiations. Gabriel, of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD), said he expected very difficult negotiations and "hefty conflicts" in the days ahead.
But he said it would inadequate for the conference to end with an agreement merely to continue talking.
"We cannot dare to go back home without clear targets for 2020 and 2050," Gabriel said about the aim to agree on emission cuts.
He said that talks above all were needed with the United States about both targets as well as structures of an agreement. So far, the US delegation at the conference had rejected setting emission cut targets.
The Americans are needed for a solution, Gabriel said, adding that "at the core is the issue of bringing the Americans around toward a target."
The German minister also said negotiations would be difficult with deeloping nations, the issues being how to describe their contributions towards limiting emissions and about solving the issue of providing climate-friendly technology.
