Sept. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Asia-Pacific leaders agreed to watered-down goals to combat climate change after China's President Hu Jintao told rich nations to ``take the lead,'' in cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

``Developed countries should face their historical responsibility and their current high per-capita emissions,'' Hu told 20 other leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Sydney today.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard and U.S. President George W. Bush, whose countries haven't ratified the Kyoto Protocol, pushed climate change on to the agenda for the APEC meeting in Sydney. They were criticized by China, Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries, which want climate talks to take place under the United Nations framework.

``Each of our economies has brought quite different perspectives to the Sydney Declaration, reflecting our diversity as both developed and developing economies,'' Australian Prime Minister John Howard told reporters after a meeting of APEC leaders today.

The declaration, dated Sept. 9 and distributed by Japan's Foreign Ministry, describes an ``aspirational'' goal of reducing energy intensity, or energy usage per unit of gross domestic product, by 25 percent by 2030. The resolution is not binding.

`Take the Lead'

Developed countries should ``continue to take the lead in reducing emissions after 2012'' when the first phase of the United Nations Kyoto Protocol expires, Hu said. China released the text of his speech to reporters.

Howard said today's agreement states there should be ``long-term aspirational goals for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, to guide an effective post-2012 international arrangement on climate change.''

APEC members reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which Hu told leaders ``should be upheld as the core mechanism and main channel for addressing climate change.''

The Kyoto Protocol, the only international agreement that sets specific targets for emissions reduction, binds 35 nations to curb carbon emissions by 5.2 percent from 1990 levels by 2012.

`China's Not Shirking'

``China signed the Kyoto Protocol and the U.S. didn't, and as the largest energy consumer in the world, the U.S. must take responsibility,'' said David Wang, professor of environmental studies at Shanghai Second Polytechnic University, interviewed by telephone. ``The Chinese government isn't shirking its responsibility. It is reducing pollution and energy wastage.''

The Australian-U.S. plan for climate change was rejected by environmental group Greenpeace because it doesn't call for carbon emission targets and includes the use of nuclear technology as an alternative to fossil fuels.

``The Sydney Declaration is really just a Sydney Distraction from real action on climate change,'' Greenpeace energy campaigner Catherine Fitzpatrick said. ``Today, APEC leaders supported the Australian Government in little more than a political stunt.''

Leaders today agreed on the need ``for all nations, no matter what their state of development, to contribute according to their own capacities and circumstances to reducing greenhouse gases,'' Howard said. ``We have also agreed on specific APEC goals on energy intensity and forestry.''

`Aligns with U.S.'

The ``Sydney Declaration'' on climate change ``largely aligns'' with the views of the U.S., said James Connaughton, President George W. Bush's chief environmental adviser. Bush was scheduled to leave Sydney at 9:30 p.m. local time today.

The UN's climate change body will host its annual meeting in Bali, Indonesia, in December to discuss a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

About 10,000 demonstrators marched in downtown Sydney today, protesting against the climate change plan, the war in Iraq and labor rights. One demonstrator dressed as a polar bear to highlight global warming.

``John Howard's aspirational targets are rubbish,'' Senator Kerry Nettle, of Australia's Greens Party, told the demonstrators. ``He is trying to undermine the Kyoto Protocol.''

China's Hu told the other APEC leaders that richer countries should help developing nations with finances and technology to slow climate change.

``In tackling climate change, helping others is helping oneself,'' Hu said. ``We should ensure that both production and consumption are compatible with sustainable development.''

To contact the reporters on this story: Arijit Ghosh in Sydney at aghosh@bloomberg.net; En-Lai Yeoh in Sydney at eyeoh1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 8, 2007 06:07 EDT