Progress reported at global warming meeting

The U.N. climate chief says talks on a new global warming treaty have picked up speed.

Yvo de Boer has said governments are showing a sense of urgency and making serious proposals on the major elements of an agreement.

The new pact should be signed at the end of next year, and will replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol governing emissions of greenhouse gases.

At the end of the 160-nation weeklong conference Wednesday, De Boer said he was encouraged by the talks about curbing deforestation and on ways to get countries such as China and India to regulate carbon emissions by focusing on their largest industries.

He says the next round of talks in Poland in December will be critical, when delegations may begin working on the text of an agreement.