BRUSSELS (AFP) – The UN's top climate negotiator voiced optimism Monday that a deal can be salvaged next month at world talks on global warming, but said US President Barack Obama must first get on board.

“I think we will have a very specific agreement,” UN climate chief Yvo de Boer said ahead of a meeting with EU environment ministers in Brussels.
He has already ruled out the possibility that a comprehensive climate treaty can be reached at the UN-sponsored talks opening in Copenhagen on December 7.
The lesser deal he anticipates is likely to include “a list of rich country targets (and) clarity on what major developing countries like India and China are willing to do,” he said.
De Boer, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also said he expected to see “clarity on finances,” with a list of pledged contributions, in particular to the poorest nations.
For these goals to be meaningful and attainable, however, major greenhouse gas emitter the United States would have to bring something concrete to the table.
De Boer expressed confidence, saying: “My sense is Obama will be in a position to come to Copenhagen with a target and a financial contribution.”
Last week US Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the senate would not enact fresh legislation on climate change until next spring.
“They are not going to finalise the legislation before Copenhagen, but they don't need to,” said de Boer ahead of talks due to end on December 18.
“Not a single country that signed the Kyoto accord had legislation in place, they all developed the legislation afterwards and then ratified the treaty,” he said of the existing protocol, ratified by 184 countries and which expires in 2012.
De Boer's optimism was boosted by “the pledges many countries are making,” as he cited Brazil, South Korea, Russia and, most recently, Japan for “very encouraging” announcements.
Germany's new environment minister Norbert Roettgen, attending the talks in Brussels, said no-one could expect a “legally constraining” deal in Copenhagen, but that “obstacles must fall” as a result of the talks.
French Ecology Minister Jean-Louis Borloo said the Washington “problem” would mean “a flexibility on dates or figures.” Other industrialised nations could perhaps make up the gap, he added.
Turning his attention to Europe, de Boer said he hopes the European Union will clarify its position on funding ahead of the Copenhagen talks.
“We need to have a clear figure from Europe on the table,” he stressed.
At a summit last month the 27 EU heads of state and government agreed on a negotiating position for Copenhagen, but failed to come up with a figure for aid to the developing world to tackle climate change and deal with its consequences.
Many EU nations -- including France, Germany and Italy -- are unwilling to commit themselves before they see what the rest of the world will offer.
Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, called the extraordinary meeting with his European counterparts to discuss the bloc's strategy in the lead up to the talks.
As he arrived, he said the issue should not be fudged.
“We expect the Copenhagen meeting to be a milestone. Some parties prefer now to talk about two steps, we prefer to see the Copenhagen meeting as the step,” he insisted.
During their closed-door talks, the European ministers were to discuss in particular the amount of fast-track aid which the poorest nations will need to tackle climate change between now and 2013, though no firm figure was expected to emerge.
Photo: Smoke rises from an incineration plant in Amsterdam. (AFP/File/John D McHugh)
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