America is ready to talk about measures to fight global warming, Prime Minister Tony Blair has said.
Mr Blair said there was no prospect of the US signing the Kyoto accord but the debate there had changed because of concerns over energy supply.
"I think the US is ready to come back into dialogue on this question," Mr Blair told a Commons committee.
The prime minister said he wants a global consensus on global warming to emerge from the UK's G8 presidency.
He said another aim for the six-month presidency of the group of industrialised countries was to get agreements on the issue with developing economies, particularly India and China.
And there needed to be specific scientific measures, such as work on storing greenhouse gas emissions underground and developing renewable energy.
Feeling left out?
Mr Blair admitted there was no chance of America signing the Kyoto deal whatever party was in power - the US Senate had rejected the accord overwhelmingly.
He said reviving talks with the US was difficult but possible through patient and successful diplomacy.
"I think they don't want to be left out of that dialogue. They recognise it is an issue, partly for reasons of security of energy supply as well as climate change.
"It's not sensible at this stage in the negotiation to start talking about the details of it."
Mr Blair said some states and individual senators, including Republicans, were proposing legislation on the pollution issue.
"There is a change in debate going on in the US and we should make use of that and see if we can't mould that to a greater consensus," he said.
Taking precautions
Mr Blair said he was sure the UK would meet its Kyoto targets, despite falling off course on its self-imposed, more ambitious target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2010.
The Kyoto agreement would only cut greenhouse gases by a fraction of the amount needed by 2050, he warned.
He continued: "I believe people know there is a real issue here.
"There is a residual debate here still - is this part of a natural cycle or not? - but it seems to me the evidence is so clear now I would describe it as the biggest long-term challenge the global community faces.
"My personal view is there's little or no doubt about it.
"Even if there were a residual doubt, any sensible precautionary policy would say the consequences of it being right are so severe it's best to change behaviour.
"People have a natural instinct about this. A massive amount of pollution cannot be right."
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