This paper provides a comparative analysis of the economic and political interests influencing the progress of climate negotiation. The primary focus is on the U.S., France, Germany, U.K., Belgium, Netherlands, and the E.U. itself. A discussion of the drivers of policy and differing responses on a national basis is presented to highlight the larger influences at work. The driving factors range across economic and political interests, public concern, bureaucratic goals, scientific evidence, non-governmental organizations, energy industries, and are relevant in each country to varying degrees. Also included is a personal forecast of what can be expected to emerge in the next few months as the current negotiations reach their climax in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997.Includes bibliographical references.Abstract in HTML and technical report in HTML and PDF available on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change website (http://mit.edu/globalchange/www/)