There's a real feeling in Bali that countries are going to set a roadmap in place for long-term action on climate change before the talks wrap up next Friday.

More specifically, the Bali talks are expected to launch a process to set a post-2012 climate change agreement in motion. But that's it. A process. It's a critical first step but there's no point creating a process without substance.

It's important to commit to setting specific, absolute emission reduction targets for developed countries here in Bali. Environmental groups and many countries are calling for at least 25 to 40 per cent reductions by 2020.

There's a lot of potential in Bali to go far beyond just setting out a roadmap. Some countries are already stepping up to the plate.

New Zealand, for example, is talking about the need to cut emissions 25 to 40 per cent and wants those targets to be written into the mandate for the post-2012 agreement. The target is also endorsed by the EU.

Major developing countries are also talking about stepping up their commitments.

Brazil, South Africa and China announced they are willing to negotiate new and stronger commitments in the post-2012 Kyoto Protocol period.

A condition of negotiating stronger commitments for developing countries is that industrialized nations like Canada and Japan must agree to deeper cuts in absolute emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.

It seems clear that a Bali roadmap will be created by the end of these talks next Friday. The question is how ambitious and specific will that roadmap be?

In other news:

CBC: Canada flounders on issue of climate change

Malaysia Sun: India under pressure from Canada, Japan over climate change

Earth Times: US, Japan, Canada put up roadblocks at climate conference

CTV.ca: Opposition slams Tories over climate stances