But Dimas said the 11th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change would examine how greenhouse gas emissions might be regulated internationally after 2012.

Last week, participants in the G8 Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development said that although their talks had been fruitful, the UN summit remained the appropriate forum for action.

Dimas said the purpose of the summit at Montreal, which will run from November 28 until December 9, was to begin talks on extending the Kyoto Protocol on climate change beyond 2012.

"Of course we do not expect to have any specific agreement on reductions or targets," Dimas said at a press conference last week.

“What we hope to achieve is an agreement to start negotiations for the after-2012 regime.”

The Kyoto Protocol called for developed nations to reduce their emissions of heat-trapping gases by 5.2% from 1990 levels by 2012, although developing nations were exempt from emission caps.

Australia and the United States were among early signatories in 1997 but both countries have refused to ratify the international treaty, which has the support of 153 countries, among them India, Canada, Russia and the members of the European Union.

More than 150 countries are expected to be represented at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

EnvironmentalManagementNews.net