Environmental pressure group Greenpeace is increasingly doubtful that Russia, the world's second largest oil exporter, will ratify the Kyoto Protocol aimed at slowing climate change, its chief said.
Greenpeace executive director Gerd Leipold also said in an interview with Reuters late on Monday he was disappointed that US presidential nominees, like Democrat front-runner John Kerry, were not highlighting environmental issues.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing political games with the planet's most crucial treaty, jeopardising the welfare of future generations, Leipold said.
"The situation looked better a year ago. Obviously Russia is key in this whole thing and we are not fully optimistic.
"Unfortunately, to Mr Putin, Kyoto is more a political football to be kicked around between his European and his US friends than anything else," Leipold said.
"Russia wants money," he added, saying Kyoto is important both for the issue itself and as a symbol.
Russia shocked the European Union last year by suggesting it may not ratify Kyoto, a treaty to reduce emissions of gases blamed by many scientists for warming the atmosphere, leading to freak weather conditions and environmental damage.
Russia can effectively stop the treaty coming into force if it does not ratify after the United States pulled out. President George W. Bush withdrew US support in 2001.
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