German Chancellor Angela Merkel has predicted that the Kyoto Protocol will not be extended at the UN environment summit in South Africa, which opens next week.
The protocol, which aims to reduce greenhouse gases, will run out in 2012.
In order for it to continue, negotiators from 200 countries would need to agree to an extension in Durban.
However, speaking in Berlin today, Ms Merkel said: "We are in an extremely difficult situation where the Kyoto Protocol expires, we have not got far, and an extension of the protocol will unfortunately not happen in Durban."
Ms Merkel said large emitters of greenhouse gases among rapidly-growing economies, such as China, India and Brazil, must agree to cut their emissions.
On Monday, the World Meteorological Organisation said the three main greenhouse gases blamed for global warming reached record levels in 2010.
