(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-31 21:51

HONOLULU, United States -- The ongoing meeting of the world's major economies on climate change in Honolulu, Hawaii, aimed to build on guidelines forged last month at a UN summit in Bali, Indonesia, for reaching a treaty by the end of 2009 on cutting global greenhouse gas emissions.

However, for the United States, as the host, the meeting has deep political implications, too, both in international and domestic perspectives.

One major incentive for the Bush administration to bring the world's 16 major economies plus the United Nations to Hawaii to discuss climate change is to show the world that it really wants to do more to address global warming.

"The major economies process is designed to contribute to and advance the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations," said Paula Dobriansky, undersecretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs.

Mending Fences

Many political analysts said the Honolulu meeting could serve as an important chance for the US government to mend international fences after it faced sharp criticism in Bali for its less-than-cooperative stance.

In terms of a worldwide perception on environmental issues, "the United States has reached the lowest point I've ever seen," said Philip Clapp, deputy managing director of Pew Environment Group, a research and advocacy group.

"In the final session of Bali, we were abandoned even by our closest allies," Clapp noted.

Andrew Hoffman, who studies business, environmentalism and sustainability at the University of Michigan, said it would behoove the United States to come out with some substantive proposals in Hawaii, especially in the wake of the Bali criticism.

"If they come to this table without any kind of sincere proposals to go forward, I think they're just going to open themselves up to more embarrassment," Hoffman said.

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