In a speech to fellow ministers at key UN climate talks, Ambrose said her minority Conservative government had uncovered "an unacceptable situation" after it was elected last January and, on taking office, pored over what had been achieved on global warming.

"We found that measures to address climate change by previous Canadian governments were insufficient and unaccountable," Ambrose charged.

"Years after signing and ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, Canada still had not implemented a domestic plan to address climate change. And the result is that Canada is 35 percent above our Kyoto target" on greenhouse-gas emissions.

Outlining the new government's measures, Ambrose said: "We have chosen real progress over delay, and transparency over rhetoric. We are taking responsibility, embarking on pragmatic solutions and finally beginning the process of putting our own house in order."

Under Kyoto, which was negotiated, signed and ratified under governments led by the Liberal Party, Canada promised to reduce its emissions levels by six percent by 2012 compared to the benchmark year of 1990.

In the light of current far higher levels, to reach that goal now would require major efforts in energy efficiency or switching to cleaner energy technology, which would carry an economic price.

The government introduced a bill in mid-October to reduce Canada's carbon dioxide pollution by 45-65 percent by 2050, based on 2003 emissions.

This ignited the fury of the three opposition parties, the Liberals, the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Bloc Quebecois, which hold a majority of seats in parliament.

They called for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to stick to the Kyoto targets and commit to stronger, binding goals in negotiations for Kyoto's post-2012 format.

Ambrose mentioned no names or political parties in her speech but was clear about whom she was targeting: "There are some who are using the Kyoto Protocol to create divisions within our country -- but we will not let that happen."

The minister did not specifically admit that Canada would fall short of meeting its Kyoto pledges, but acknowledged the country had to be "realistic on the progress we could make by 2012."

Under Kyoto's compliance mechanisms, industrialised countries which fail to meet their 2012 target have to meet the promised cut and 30 percent more in the commitment period starting in 2013, thus adding to the effort and economic cost.

Countries that have ratified the treaty and its parent, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), are gathered in Nairobi for a 12-day conference, ending on Friday.

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