Campbell claimed Australia had played a key role in the negotiations. Australia had argued for boosting the future role of “clean technologies” and sought an agreement to participate in future discussions on post-Kyoto approaches for long-term cooperative action on climate change.

“After marathon all-night negotiations, there was unanimous agreement among all nations on a positive new pathway forward to create an effective international response in the post-Kyoto period,” said a statement issued by Campbell’s department yesterday.

The release made no mention of the “walk-out” by the United States delegation during the final negotiations, after Canadian delegates attempted to keep the US involved in discussions and voluntary emissions reduction targets.

Both Australia and the US are strong supporters of “clean technologies” that significantly reduce the levels of emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Neither of the two countries has ratified the Kyoto Protocol.

Environmental groups have criticised the emphasis international delegates placed on getting the US to participate in the negotiations, as the Bush administration had made it clear that they would not agree to any mandatory reduction targets before the conference.

But Australia accepted Canada’s proposal, named the Montreal Climate Action Plan or MAP, agreeing to participate in future negotiations for the post-Kyoto Protocol period.

“The post-Kyoto dialogue is an objective the Howard Government has been promoting since 2004 and has been reflected in decisions from the conference this week,” Campbell said yesterday.

“Australia has always said that an environmentally effective response to climate change requires action from all major greenhouse gas emitting countries. The Montreal Climate Action Plan is an historic step in achieving this goal.

“The importance of advancing research, development and deployment of breakthrough technologies that will enable continuing economic growth with substantially lower greenhouse gas emissions was repeatedly emphasised during the Montreal meeting.”

Campbell said that by participating in the MAP, Australia had committed to:

• A new dialogue on the post-Kyoto framework;

• exploring pathways for developing countries to enter into voluntary commitments post-Kyoto;

• improvements to the way Kyoto Protocol is implemented;

• agreement to commence negotiations on post-2012 Protocol commitments; and

• agreement on the Convention’s first five-year work program to help countries adapt to the impacts of climate change.

European Union environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said in a media conference that he still held hopes that the US, the world’s highest producer of greenhouse emissions, would participate in future talks.

“The US always does the right thing after having exhausted all the other options,” Dimas said, quoting Winston Churchill.