A BRENT MP fears a climate change conference could collapse, spreading a legacy of bitterness.

Barry Gardiner (Lab/Brent North) is in Copenhagen this week as delegations from around the world try to form an agreement on how to tackle global warming.

But the former environment minister said the talks have reached a stumbling block as America demands developing countries make formal commitments on carbon emissions.

In return the developing nations are accusing the world’s bigger economies of failing to meet their commitments under the Kyoto protocol.

Mr Gardiner said: “The negotiations have gone badly at the beginning of this week. I suspect that some of the leaders may just decide not to come. That would be a disaster. The legacy would be one of bitterness.

“It would be one where the developing world would say you didn’t meet your Kyoto commitments and you were expecting us to take on a whole lot of commitments at Copenhagen that you weren’t prepared to do.”

He today met the head of the World Bank to discuss the issues.