UN climate talks were deadlocked on yesterday as the US and China clashed over what role the Chinese and other fast-growing economies should play in a new pact to fight global warming.

Governments from nearly 200 countries will launch discussions in Thailand tomorrow on forging a global warming agreement, a process that is expected to be fraught with disagreements over how much to reduce greenhouse gases and which nations should adhere to binding targets.

Humanity faces oblivion if it fails to confront global warming, the UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon warned today.

Climate change delegates from Europe and America went head-to-head today over whether to include guidelines for greenhouse gas emissions in the plan for a new international agreement.

America refused to back down from its opposition to compulsory cuts in greenhouse gas emissions today.