Environment ministers and delegates from about 185 countries around the world have converged in New Delhi for the Eighth Conference of Parties (COP-8) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Government delegates as well as representatives from inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, media and business are attending the meeting.

During the meeting, the delegates will discuss the details of the implementation mechanisms for the Kyoto protocol's entry into force. Under this Protocol, 38 industrialized nations have agreed to cut their emissions of greenhouse gases linked to global warming. The meeting will also focus on key concerns of developing countries, such as how to cope with the expected impacts of climate change.

Also, one of the main agenda of COP-8 is a report from the Executive Board on Clean Development Mechanism(CDM), which is one of the principal means of cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. It allows an industrialized country to invest on clean energy projects to be set up in place of a less efficient project in a developing country. And in return, the industrialized country gets credit for the reduced emissions, which it can use to meet its Kyoto target.

Korea regards this conference as the preparation stage for detailed elaboration on the implementation mechanisms of the Kyoto protocol before its final entry into force, and expects that this newly introduced roundtable meeting for the high-segment will allow for more interactive and in-depth discussions on climate change.