Copenhagen: Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren on Monday predicted "tough talks down to the wire" at the UN climate change summit, saying China and the US need to offer more on emission cuts.

The talks in Copenhagen, scheduled to end on Friday, aim at preventing global average temperatures from rising more than the potentially dangerous two-degree Centigrade limit.

"It is impossible to solve the climate problem unless China makes more emission reductions above the scope they have offered," Carlgren told Swedish radio.

"There is also a dilemma that it hinges on the US making sufficient cuts," he added.
Sweden currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

"The EU is trying to convince the US and China to make considerably more," Carlgren said, noting the two account for over half of emission cuts.

Carlgren noted that the pace in the negotiations in the run up to the talks had been too slow and there was need for all parties to budge.

-- IANS