China is unlikely to be able to make a major contribution to the battle against global warming, according to a new report from a government adviser.

Ecological campaigners have pushed the issue of climate change close to the top of the political agenda in Europe, but despite the efforts of those pressure groups and United Nations (UN) secretary general Ban Ki-moon, many governments still do not consider it a priority.

One of the main offenders appears to be China, where the government views economic prosperity as more important than the overall wellbeing of the planet.

It argues that the needs of industry must come first because its top priority is alleviating poverty among China's huge population.

While that aim is admirable, it ignores the advice of most experts, who view a low-carbon global economy as the only way to create and sustain prosperity.

And if the Chinese government takes on board the findings of a report by its Energy Research Institute, its stance is unlikely to change.

The report found that China's most-optimistic low-carbon plan, which would see its carbon emissions peak at 2.4 billion tonnes a year in 2035 and remain at that level for around 15 years, is too expensive to implement. It even hinted that a less ambitious target was unrealistic.

China's president Hu Jintao is expected to announce new anti-climate change measures at a UN meeting next week.

Those who care about the condition of the planet await his speech with trepidation, because if it does not contain positive signs, it will make reaching an effective, workable agreement at December's Copenhagen Climate Change Conference very tricky.