Dec. 10 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. will take a global leadership role in forging a new climate change treaty and will take on national mandatory emissions limits by 2009, if not sooner, says Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.

``The U.S. is going to be at the table,'' Kerry said at a news conference on the Indonesian island of Bali, where about 190 countries are gathered to begin talks for a new climate accord to curb global rising temperatures and sea levels. ``The U.S. is going to lead. The U.S. is going to embrace significant changed policies in order to deal with climate change.''

Kerry also called for a ``global solution'' in a new treaty to replace the emissions-limiting Kyoto Protocol expiring in 2012. Emerging economies such as China shouldn't be required to meet the same reductions requirements as industrialized nations, though the U.S. will like a ``guarantee'' that such nations pledge to take on strong commitments, he said.

Steps must be taken to ensure developing countries ``avoid making the mistakes we've made since the beginning of the industrial revolution,'' Kerry said.

The Democratic senator, who unsuccessfully ran against President George W. Bush three years ago, also predicted that legislation in the U.S. congress to establish a mandatory cap on greenhouse-gas emissions will be made into law by 2009.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kim Chipman in Nusa Dua, Indonesia, at kchipman@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: December 10, 2007 03:15 EST