The World

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1 | Singapore

A Setback on Climate Change

World leaders signaled they would not seek a legally binding agreement on greenhouse-gas emissions at next month's climate talks in Copenhagen, confirming mounting doubts that the conference would yield a landmark pact. Instead, a coalition including U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao announced at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that it will aim to build political consensus, paving the way for concrete steps. The biggest challenge will be aligning the interests of developing and industrialized nations: the U.S., among others, argues that because emerging powers like China and India are...

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