The top US climate negotiator said that major economies were divided on how to move ahead on emission cuts, with only the EU supporting an extension of the landmark Kyoto Protocol. Representatives of major economies that represent the bulk of carbon emissions blamed for climate change met last week in Washington to seek progress ahead of a UN meeting that opens on November 28 in Durban, South Africa.

With no new treaty in view, the European Union has spearheaded calls for the Durban meeting to extend the Kyoto Protocol, the world’s only treaty that mandates emission cuts. Kyoto’s obligations expire at the end of 2012.

“This is one of the toughest, if not the toughest, issues in the negotiation,” Todd Stern, the US special envoy on climate change, said of the prospects for a second Kyoto commitment period. The US is the only major nation that rejected the Kyoto Protocol.

Former President George W. Bush said the treaty was unfair by requiring action only of wealthy nations and not developing ones such as China, now the largest carbon emitter. China and fellow major developing countries Brazil, India and South Africa last month issued a joint call for the Durban talks to extend the Kyoto Protocol. But of major economies that would have obligations under a Kyoto extension, only the EU is in favour, Mr Stern said.

“My sense is that the EU is the only one that is still considering signing up in some fashion to a second Kyoto commitment period. Japan clearly isn’t, Russia clearly isn’t, Canada clearly isn’t and I think Australia appears not likely,” Mr Stern remarked.