Talks on how to implement the Kyoto Protocol to fight global warming ended in the Netherlands last night with states still far apart.
The informal meeting of dozens of states was called in an effort to bridge differences following the breakdown of talks last November in the Hague, where the EU and the United States clashed on mechanisms to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
The US pulled out of the treaty earlier this year, arousing international complaints that the world's biggest polluter was failing to deal with global warming blamed on carbon dioxide produced by the burning of fossil fuels.
Despite calls from several countries to rejoin the process, the US remained at odds with the European Union after the four days of talks.
"There were some nice words (from the EU), but they appear to be moving back from where they were in the Hague," a senior US official at the talks said.
The EU has sought to persuade Japan and Canada to move forward on the pact without their key negotiating partner in the talks, although neither country has committed itself to legally ratify the treaty without Washington's inclusion.
In order to bring the Kyoto Protocol into force, it must be ratified by at least 55 states responsible for at least 55 percent of the developed countries' carbon dioxide emissions. That puts increased pressure on other big emitters, such as Japan and Russia, to sign on.
Russian delegates at the Dutch talks indicated they would seek ratification, but said Moscow wanted greater weight given to the role of its forests and farmland as carbon-absorbing sinks in setting its emissions target.