Representatives of the world’s largest carbon polluters had begun two days of informal talks in London on Sunday, in a bid to map out common ground just under two months prior to a key UN climate change conference in Copenhagen.

The 17 nations that make up the Major Economies Forum (MEF) met with developing nations and UN representatives in an attempt to iron out some of their differences before the summit in December.

British Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said that the powerful nations represent about 90 percent of global emissions.

He continued by saying that the Copenhagen talks will attempt to agree to a new global climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol which will expire in 2012.

The MEF was launched earlier this year by US President Barack Obama on the back of an initiative by predecessor, George W. Bush to speed up the search for common ground among the most polluting world economies.

The London talks will explore emissions cuts, the protection of forests and climate finance, for which British PM Gordon Brown has claimed that 100 billion dollars each year is required to help developing countries fight climate change.

Brown will speak at the MEF meeting on Monday and warn of the possible consequences of failing to reach common ground in December.

The MEF countries include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the EU, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Britain and the United States.