AFP: EU urges roadmap this year on climate action

Canada, Japan and Russia are part of the Kyoto Protocol but have made clear that they will not join another round of the treaty as it does not include emerging economies.

Australia and Norway have jointly proposed to set a 2015 deadline for a new treaty, with all countries -- wealthy and developing -- listing their actions and gradually making them more ambitious and binding.

UN climate chief Christiana Figueres told reporters that the written proposal by Australia and Norway was "very helpful" but said it was too soon to say if governments would rally around it.