Sky News
Thursday, February 1, 2007

Global warming is "very likely" to have been caused by human activity - that is set to be the final and definitive conclusion of a long-awaited report into climate change. The wording of the conclusion means there is a 90% chance humans are causing climate change.

Some 113 nations have been discussing global warming at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in Paris.

The panel's conclusion is considered to be an authoritative document that could influence government and industrial

policy worldwide.

The specific wording, subject to much speculation, must be approved unanimously and will be officially released on Friday.

But sources in the closed-door meeting said the wording "very likely" had been agreed.

"That is a big move. I hope it is a powerful statement," said Jan Pretel, head of the department of climate change at the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute.

The wording of the conclusion is critical because of the impact it will have on public perception and government action.

The last report, in 2001, said global warming was only "likely" to have been caused by human activity.

There had been speculation the participants might try to change the wording this time to "virtually certain," which means a 99% chance.

But the Chinese delegation was reported to be resistant. As the world's fastest developing nation, strong action on warming could hit its growth.