High-level discussions on the future of the Kyoto agreement will take place at the two-week United Nations meeting in Montreal .The delegates will endeavour to hammer out the final details of the first Kyoto phase, including penalties for countries that fail to meet their emission targets, as well as agreeing to a way to take the process beyond 2012.

M. Rowson

Kyoto Protocol became operational in February and open a new phase in international efforts to protect the global climate. The Pan-European emissions trading has begun and the Clean Development Mechanism, as a tool to promote sustainable development and combat climate change, is operational,

Australia is not part of these talks as it follows the US administration's anti-regulation approach, which relies on voluntary action and technology to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.