The Bush Administration made clear that President Bush would join heads of state from more than 100 countries at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro only on the condition that the final draft treaty text deleted all reference to specific limits on carbon dioxide. From the perspective of the White House a serious treaty committing the nations of the world to stopping climate change by limiting carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels would constitute a barrier to trade. However, trade agreements along with the lack of democracy in new formations of international law are the key problems.