Global warming talks put Bush under pressure

George Bush is becoming increasingly isolated this weekend in his attempt to kill the international negotiations to control potentially catastrophic global warming.

Most of the United States' closest allies at the resumed talks on the Kyoto Protocol in the former German capital have distanced themselves from its hardline opposition to the treaty and the President is coming under growing pressure both from other world leaders and from the US Congress to change his stance.

Canada – which had taken a similar hardline position and whose economy is intricately linked to that of the United States – surprised delegates by abruptly breaking ranks with President Bush, who has described the treaty as "fatally flawed". Its deputy Prime Minister, Herb Gray, stressed "Canada's unequivocal support for the Kyoto Protocol".

There was further support for the treaty from the G8 summit in Genoa yesterday where British officials indicated that both Japanese and Canadian governments may back the agreement.

The European Union has already announced its readiness to ratify the treaty. Only Australia now firmly backs the United States but elections are due this year and the opposition – which is ahead in the polls – is taking a softer stance.

The United States has been taken aback by the workmanlike attitude of the talks here, with ministers unwilling to return home without some sort of agreement, after the collapse of the last conference in The Hague last November.

The United States had expected that the talks would collapse, thus justifying the US decision to pull out.

Mr Michael Meacher, the environment minister, said: "The Americans seem to be surprised by the generally upbeat atmosphere at the talks."

Meanwhile Mr Bush is also under attack at home. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has passed a motion in support of the Kyoto Protocol and the Democratic majority in the Senate is putting forward measures to reduce omissions of carbon dioxide from power stations.

Some of Mr Bush's own cabinet have also tried to persuade him to soften his stance, but the President has so far remained personally adamant in his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol.