The EU environment ministers want to invite their colleagues from economic ministries to an informal debate on the financial coverage of measures against climate change, Czech Environment Minister Martin Bursik said during a meeting of the ministers on Wednesday.

Prague hosted a joint meeting of EU deputy ministers of both types of ministries earlier this year.

Bursik said the funding of the measures is of key importance for debate ahead of the UN conference in Copenhagen in December, which aims to set goals in reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases after 2012 when the Kyoto Protocol expires.

Bursik chaired the Wednesday meeting in Prague as a representative of the country presiding over the EU. He said if the meeting of the above deputy ministers in Prague in mid-May is not sufficient, environment ministers will be striving for a meeting at a higher level.

European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said on Wednesday that even if it is not clear how much the United States will decide to reduce its emissions after 2012, the prospects are encouraging.

During his recent visit to Prague, US President Barack Obama said the United States wants to join the struggle against climate change and the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions.

The EU has pledged to cut the emissions by 20 percent. If advanced countries joined the effort, it would be 30 percent. Developing countries were asked to cut emissions by 15 to 30 percent by 2020.

Bursik said the EU will implement about one third of its commitment in the developing countries. It will also offer developing countries a part of the revenues from the sale of carbon credits via an international adaptation fund.