Hothouse

"Each American, Mr Chirac pointedlyremarked, is responsible for emitting three times more greenhouse gases than each Frenchman. Europe is pushing America, the world's biggest polluter, to take direct action to cut its emissions rather than rely on trading emission cuts with other countries and planting new forests. America, which takes the view that it does not matter to the atmosphere where or how cuts are made, as long as they are made, believes countries should have more flexibility in meeting their emission targets. Europe's onerous stance, some on the American side believe, is meant to cut the United States' economy down to size. With such entrenched positions, is any sort of deal likely?"