International diplomats have moved to put pressure on US politicians to speed up discussions on climate change legislation.
Ecological campaigners have long seen the US as the biggest villain in the impending global warming crisis - a view which has gained support since the US government refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
Barack Obama's arrival in the White House offered some encouragement to those who care about the environment, but the Senate does not appear to be as keen as the president to pass legislation designed to limit carbon emissions.
The House of Representatives has already backed a plan to cut emissions, but it now appears that the Senate will not even begin discussing the proposed regulations before December's Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
Ecological pressure groups are unhappy about the situation - and they are not the only ones.
John Bruton, the EU's ambassador to the US, has reacted to the news by questioning whether the country which is responsible for a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions actually takes its international commitments seriously.
He said: "Is the US Senate really expecting all the other countries to make a serious effort on climate change at the Copenhagen Conference in the absence of a clear commitment from the United States?"
It's great to hear Mr Bruton following the lead of United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon and putting pressure on those who seem reluctant to take the necessary action.
But with the US and China seemingly dragging their feet on global warming, concerns are growing that it will not be possible to reach an effective and binding agreement in Copenhagen.
