Negotiations on international climate change legislation are moving too slowly, so individual countries should take separate measures for their own benefit, said Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, at a London meeting Monday.

Figueres hopes nations, by mixing "carrots and sticks" -- perks for carbon reducers and punishments for polluters -- will reduce carbon emissions before action is taken on a global scale.

"Nothing is going to be agreed internationally until enough is legislated for domestically," said Figueres, speaking to lawmakers from 70 nations at a meeting of Globe International, an alliance formed to discuss environmental legislation. "We're not doing it from an altruistic point of view, to save the planet. We will save the planet also, but climate legislation at the domestic level must be absolutely grounded in national reality, and it must be for the purpose of national benefit."

Figueres aims to have governments from more than 190 countries, including island nations threatened by rising sea levels and oil-producing Middle Eastern countries, agree to a deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2015.

On Monday, Globe International released a study of 33 countries that account for 85 percent of global emissions. Canada regressed in 2012, but 18 other countries made notable progress (Alex Morales, Bloomberg, Jan. 14). -- EH