Bali climate deal paves way for hotter U.S. debate

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The United States was alone among major industrialized nations to reject the Kyoto Protocol agreement to curb global warming emissions. The Bali "road map" aims to find a successor that brings in fast-growing countries like China and India.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino called parts of the Bali deal "quite positive" but said negotiators must emphasize the role of developing countries that are big polluters.

The Bush administration has opposed specific targets to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide - spewed by coal-fired power plants and petroleum-fueled vehicles - arguing that this would hurt the U.S. economy.

The Bush team has been increasingly isolated on the climate issue, even in the United States, where some of the country's largest businesses, including the Big Three automakers and regional electric companies, have been pushing for a system to cap and trade credits for greenhouse emissions.

CANDIDATES AND CONGRESS

Meanwhile, the presidential hopefuls have chimed in with Democratic frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama joining Republican frontrunners Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney in insisting it was an issue to be faced.

"Climate change is real," said both Giuliani and Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain, another Republican hopeful.

The administration also has come under pressure from other parts of the government and country:

-- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed a Republican-sponsored bill that aims to curb climate change, and sent it to the full Senate for debate next year;

-- The Senate passed an energy bill that cuts U.S. oil use, curbs emissions of climate-warming carbon dioxide and boosts fuel efficiency, and Bush indicated he would sign it;

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