'US climate bill won't be ready before Copenhagen talks'

US President Barack Obama's top aide on climate has said there is virtually no chance the Congress will pass an energy legislation for him to sign before Copenhagen summit in December.

The first definitive statement by the administration on climate bill came from Carol M Browner, director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, during an interview in Washington, The New York Times reported today.

"There is little chance of Congressional passage of the legislation this fall," Browner said.

Lawmakers and environmental campaigners have cast similar doubts on the prospect in recent weeks, given the high priority put on health care legislation and the array of hearings that would be needed on the energy initiative, the paper noted.

Climate legislation was introduced in the Senate only Wednesday, three months after the House passed its version.

"Obviously we'd like to be through the process — that's not going to happen," Browner said.

"I think we would all agree the likelihood you would have a bill signed by the president on comprehensive energy by the time we would go in early December is not likely," Browner is quoted as saying.

However, Browner said it was possible that the Senate could at least complete its hearings on the bill by the time the international climate talks open on December 7.