SYDNEY, Australia, September 08, SPA -- Pacific Rim leaders on Saturday said the world needs to «slow, stop and then reverse»greenhouse gas emissions, and adopted modest goals to curbglobal warming. Some experts and activists dismissed as ineffective theprogram adopted by the presidents of the United States,China, Russia and leaders of other Asia-Pacific economiesat an annual summit _ which did not set goals for cuttingcountries' output of polluting gases, the Associated Press reported. But it sets a precedent because it applies to all of thegroup's mix of rich and developing members, and couldinfluence upcoming U.N. negotiations on climate change. «The world needs to slow, stop and then reverse thegrowth of global greenhouse gas emissions,» the 21 leaderssaid in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum'sdeclaration on climate change. Leaders «charted a new international consensus for theregion and the world,» summit host Australian PrimeMinister John Howard said outside the Sydney Opera House,where the leaders adopted the declaration on the first oftwo days of talks. A dozen blocks away and on the other side of a 3-meter(10-ft.) metal fence fortified by concrete barriers and apolice cordon, about 3,000 protesters held a colorful,mostly peaceful march and rally. Causes included protestsagainst the Iraq war and ending poverty.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/480955