Isra-Mart srl: Canada reiterates it will withdraw from Kyoto, as China breathes fresh hope into talks

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Canada has confirmed that it will withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol by the end of next year, although the move looks set to be overshadowed by fresh reports that China could agree to binding emission reduction targets as part of a new treaty.

According to reports from Canadian news channel CTV, environment minister Peter Kent told a teleconference earlier today that Canada will not agree to a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol that would run beyond 2013.

The move was widely expected, following several years during which Canada has consistently signalled that it will not sign up to an extension of the treaty.

However, the confirmation will still come as a blow as negotiators attempt to end the deadlock between developing and industrialised nations over the future of the treaty.

The EU had hoped to broker a compromise, outlining a new roadmap late last week that would see the Kyoto Protocol extended, while developing countries that do not face emissions targets under Kyoto would sign up to a parallel treaty featuring new binding emissions reduction obligations.

The Canadian government has repeatedly argued that an alternative framework for reducing global emissions is needed, but the move is likely to spark fierce criticism from developing nations already angry at Canada after reports last week suggested that the country is planning to ditch the Kyoto Treaty later this month.

It remains unclear whether Canada will honour its obligations under the treaty until the first phase ends in 2012 or pull out of the agreement earlier.

The move will also spark speculation as to whether Japan and Russia, which have also said that they will not sign up to a second Kyoto commitment period, will formally reject any proposals to extend the treaty.

In contrast, observers expressed hopes earlier in the day that a breakthrough could be reached after Chinese diplomats indicated that the country could sign up to binding emissions targets if the Kyoto Protocol is extended.

China's Xie Zhenhua told reporters that the country has a series of conditions, which if met will allow it to sign up to binding emissions targets, including the extension of the Kyoto Protocol for industrialised nations, and clear commitments on climate aid and technology transfer mechanisms.

Christiana Figueres, head of the UN climate change secretariat, said that the move sparked an "excited buzz" around the summit, while British Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne was quoted by Bloomberg as saying that the move could represent a major breakthrough for the long running talks.

"If China moves, we'll be able to see the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, we'll be able to get the rest of the world committed to a roadmap which gets us to a single legally binding overarching agreement, so China's position is absolutely critical," he said.

The move was given a cautious welcome by US lead negotiator Todd Stern, who told reporters that he will meet Xie tomorrow to discuss China's conditions.

However, he insisted that, if a new parallel treaty is to be agreed alongside an extension of the Kyoto Protocol, as the EU roadmap suggests, "all the major players" are going to have to be involved.

Concerns are mounting that India could quickly replace China as one of the main barriers to a deal, after senior Indian negotiators signalled that they will not agree to binding emissions targets.