The delegates were tasked with creating a road map for a successor to the Kyoto Protocol (agreed over ten years ago at COP-3), which bound 36 developed nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5% (on 1990 levels) by 2008-12. Australia and the US, of course, proved unwilling to ratify the agreement (making it non-binding).

The conference was given a major boost on Monday as Australia’s new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that the country would join the party.

“It was an emotional and spontaneous reaction to a very significant decision to ratify the Kyoto protocol,” said Yvo de Boer, head of the UN climate secretariat, on the standing ovation that met Mr Rudd’s announcement.

Harlan Watson, head of the US delegation, expressed respect for Australia’s decision. While taking care not to endorse Kyoto, he urged that the US contingent was at Bali for a “successful conclusion”.

“We respect the decision that other countries have made,” he remarked, “and we would, of course, ask them to respect the decision we have made.”

Watson reserved a timely swipe for Kyoto, however, expressing skepticism that the majority of its signatories would be able to honour their emissions pledges. The Bush administration has always maintained disagreement with the protocol stems from the perceived effects it would have on the American economy. However, the US also draws umbrage from the fact that certain developing nations, particularly India and China, are excluded from responsibility.

As expected, Bali experienced some cautious maneuvering between the US, China and India (despite all three expressing desires for open dialogue). At the top of the week India, the world’s fourth largest emitter, expressed that it is necessary for developed nations to take the lead in cutting emissions.

“It provides a challenge to the developed countries,” remarked Rajendra Pachauri, a member of the Prime Minister’s climate change council. “If they want India to reduce or limit its emissions, they need to ensure that they provide the bar that must never be crossed.”

Equally, Mr De Boer pressed delegates from developed countries that “bold action” must be taken to share “clean energy technology” with developing nations (while announcing plans for $1.6 billion global fund for just that). However, China, which previously experienced problems in securing clean-power technology, questioned just how much sharing was actually going on.

“We want to see a substantial fund for technology transfers and development,” pointed out Zou Ji, a member of China’s delegation to Bali. “There’s been a lot of talk about developing and spreading clean coal-power and other emissions-cutting technology, but the results have been puny, and we want the new negotiations to show that developed countries are now serious about it.”

The UN, however, chose to praise the US for a recent pledge by the Senate to reduce greenhouse gases. Voting 11-8 on Wednesday, the Senate passed a cap-and-trade system on emissions for industry, power generators and transport. While veering as far away from the word “mandatory” as possible - and Mr Watson adding, “It will not alter our position here (at Bali)” - this was at least a start.

Among the melee of emissions big hitters, the UK delegation arrived clutching an eight-point plan for action. One notable point was to push for the inclusion of global aviation and shipping emissions in target calculations. And during a week in which experts estimated that due to climate change half the Amazon will be gone by 2030, any effort to include one of the biggest causes of global emission has to be welcomed.

Week one ended with word from a powerful climate crusader. Al Gore took the time to offer his thoughts on Bali as he arrived in Oslo, Norway to collect his Nobel Prize.

“I hope they will move the effective date of the new treaty forward by two years so that we don’t wait until 2012 to have a much tougher treaty in place,” he said. “The United States should be the natural leader in this challenge, and many of us are working very hard to bring about a change in the policies of the United States of America.”

As the first week of this crucial conference draws to a close under the Balinese sun, progress has certainly been made – not least in the form of Australia’s popular announcement. However, while few in attendance are arguing against the need to prevent the planet’s temperature rising by more than 2C, there’s still considerable debate over who will take responsibility to act and how. With one week remaining, let us hope that common sense prevails and selfish squabbling gives way to a firm consensus for action.

Andrew Laughlin is a journalist and currently writes for total:spec magazine. For more on total:spec, click here.