Prospects for a new UN climate pact in December remained in the balance after talks among big emitters today but with signs of action by Brazil, India and Australia.
"It's more do-able today than yesterday," British energy and climate secretary Ed Miliband said at the close of a two-day meeting of 17 emitters that account for about 80 percent of world greenhouse gases.
"It remains in the balance in my view".
Todd Stern, Washington's climate envoy who co-hosted the meeting, echoed hopes of a deal despite sluggish progress in 190-nation talks meant to end with a new pact to fight global warming in Copenhagen in December.
"More progress needs to be made but we think that something can be done," he said.
Both he and Mr Miliband said there was no "Plan B", for example to delay Copenhagen inot 2010.
Earlier, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged world leaders to go to Copenhagen for the Dec. 7th-18th meeting, up to now intended as a gathering for environment ministers.
"Leaders must engage directly to break the impasse," he told the talks. "I've said I'll go to Copenhagen, and I'm encouraging them to make the same commitment."
Talks are bogged down in disputes between industrialised and developing countries over how to share out curbs on emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels. Just one week of formal talks remains before Copenhagen, in Barcelona in early November.
The UN talks launched in Bali, Indonesia, in 2007 are stuck on how big carbon cuts recession-hit rich countries should make by 2020 and how much they should pay developing countries to fight global warming.
Away from the meeting, Brazil, Australia and India took steps that could help inch towards a deal.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that Brazil wanted to forge a common position among all Amazon basin countries for Copenhagen and was considering inviting presidents of all Amazon states to discuss the issue on November 26th.
Brazil is considering freezing its total greenhouse gas emissions at 2005 levels.
In Canberra, Australian Climate Minister Penny Wong said the government would bring carbon trade legislation back to parliament on Thursday and will demand a vote on the controversial laws before the end of November.
Reuters