The European Commission set the ball rolling yesterday to plan its position for next year's world conference on climate change in Copenhagen.

In preparation for the conference, the EU executive is inviting the public to put forward their views on several critical issues, such as mid-term emission reduction targets for developed countries and emission reduction actions for developing countries, adaptation to climate change, technology cooperation and finance. The results will help shape the EU's position on the global post-2012 agreement.

Malta and Cyprus are the only two EU member states that do not form part of the Kyoto Protocol because when the protocol was signed, the two were considered to be developing countries.

However, this will change from 2012 when the two islands will have to abide by the new pro-environment rules.

This will consist in a radical change in the way the two countries treat climate change and will include strict controls over greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from energy producing plants.

In the past decade Malta's greenhouse gas emissions have increased substantially due to a higher energy demand.

European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas yesterday said the agreement that needs to be reached in Copenhagen has to bring together the world's nations to tackle this global challenge effectively.

"It is important that our contribution to this discussion is shaped by the knowledge and expertise of the different EU stakeholders," he said.

The Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was a vital first step in addressing the serious threat of climate change.

Under the protocol, the EU committed itself to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by eight per cent between 2008 and 2012, compared to 1990 levels.

Last December, at the UN conference on climate change in Bali, Indonesia, participating countries set out an action plan for an agreement on a post 2012 framework to be completed by next year when the parties of the UNFCCC meet in Copenhagen.

The consultation runs until September 29. Interested stakeholders are invited to participate by filling in the questionnaire found at http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=climatepost2012. .