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Scott Jagow: You’re probably going to hear a lot of stories from Bali, Indonesia in the next week or so. Delegates from 190 countries are meeting there to talk about climate change. To set the mood, Indonesia planted millions of trees to soak up greenhouse gases. The site of the meeting has been turned into a car-free zone.

The goal of the summit is to start working on an agreement that would replace the Kyoto pact on global warming. More now from Jeremy Hobson.

Jeremy Hobson: The emission reduction commitments of the Kyoto Protocol expire in 2012. Organizers of the Bali summit say a much tougher treaty should follow Kyoto. That’s what this meeting will be about, but don’t hold your breath.

Jake Schmidt is with the Center for Clean Air Policy:

Jake Schmidt: Bali will by nobody’s imagination cut the final deal. Bali will begin to shape what the deal might look like in the next round.

The Bush Administration wants a post-Kyoto deal by 2009. By that time, emerging economies like China and India are likely to be even more crucial in the climate debate.

But Rafe Pomerance of the Climate Policy Center says to get those countries on board, the U.S. will have to walk the walk.

Rafe Pomerance: It’s very difficult for us to bring people along if we’re not willing to make some serious commitment to reducing our greenhouse gases. And we do not have a serious policy in place.

In Washington, I’m Jeremy Hobson for Marketplace.