Severe drought is one of the expected consequence in Africa of climate changeLeaders of Pacific Rim economies say a legally binding climate change agreement is not likely in Copenhagen next month, but that they should still work for a political deal.  

Climate change is one of the topics being discussed during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Singapore.

APEC leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, lowered expectations for a deal on climate change before December meetings in Copenhagen.

Meeting in Singapore early Sunday, Pacific Rim leaders agreed there is not enough time for a legally binding agreement on reducing global emissions of greenhouse gasses.

The Pacific Rim leaders agreed that a political framework that they can build on later is more realistic.

Bjorn Lomborg is director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, a think tank that gives advice on how best to spend aid and development money.  He told journalists at the APEC meetings that climate change talks have a history of failure.

He said, "In Rio in 1992 the developed world promised to cut its emissions to 1990 levels by 2000.  We did no such thing.  We overshot that by 12 percent.  Then we got together in Kyodo in 1997 and promised we were going to cut below 1990 levels by 2010-a stronger commitment.  Of course, we did no such thing.  We're probably going to overshoot that by about 25 percent."

The meeting on climate change was attended by leaders from 19 of APEC's 21 economies, as well as the Danish prime minister, who flew in at the last minute.

APEC leaders meeting this weekend in Singapore had planned to endorse a goal of cutting their greenhouse gas emissions to half of 1990 levels by 2050.  

But, a Chinese official says the ambitious target was dropped from a draft statement because it was too controversial.

Lomborg says the focus of negotiations on capping and paying for emission reductions is too costly.  He says a smarter and cheaper approach to tackling climate change would be to invest everything in clean energy technology.  

Lomborg said, "This is about cutting emissions in the long run.  But, we'll only do that by making sure that it becomes very cheap for everyone to do so.  That's the only way we'll get India and China to sign up as well."

Although climate change is being discussed at the APEC forum, improving the global economy has dominated the agenda.

APEC leaders have expressed concerns about signs of rising protectionism, particularly in the United States, and the need for freer trade, investment, and a new path for global growth.

President Obama gave a speech to APEC leaders emphasizing U.S. ties to the Asia Pacific, urging balanced and sustainable growth and resisting protectionism.