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/)