While the White House remains implacably opposed to the Kyoto protocol, mayors across the US are signing up to the climate-change agenda in the most practical way possible - committing to cut the greenhouse gas emissions generated by their own towns and cities.

Underlining their growing clout, they have organised a gathering on the fringes of the Montreal meeting where they will be joined by counterparts from other countries in what is becoming an increasingly potent grassroots movement. To date, nearly 200 mayors from the US, representing more than 40m citizens, have joined in the "mayors climate protection agreement": a pledge to meet or exceed the reductions that would be required under Kyoto.