Industrial nations reached consensus on Friday to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 25 to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.
The consensus was reached at the fourth round of climate change talks under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held Aug. 27-31 in Vienna.
Yvo de Boer, head of the UN Climate Change Secretariat, welcomed the outcome, saying the setting of the goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions created a fundamental framework for the further discussion of relevant topics at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC), due to be held in Bali, Indonesia, in December.
He added that the consensus showed the common will of all parties involved to further impel the work for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but "more needs to be done by the global community."
Delegates taking part in the talks said that although the consensus is a non-binding pact, and can only serve as reference for the upcoming UNCCC, it is an important middle tache and would be conducive to making further progress in Bali.
Delegates from more than 100 countries and regions, including China, attended the five-day talks in Vienna.
The fourth round of climate change talks in Vienna was aimed at helping explore new mechanisms for reducing greenhouse gas emissions after the United Nations Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
