Updated: Wed Dec. 10 2008 17:47:37

The Associated Press

POZNAN, Poland — Environmentalists said Wednesday Canada is playing spoiler at the United Nations Climate Conference in Poznan, Poland.

While they have high hopes for the incoming American administration of Barack Obama, they are critical of Canada's efforts.

"It's such a shame," Dale Marshall of the David Suzuki Foundation said.

"Canadians are saying that they want to see action on climate change, and the world's foremost decision-makers are saying it's possible to fix the environment and the economy at the same time. We have Obama saying `Yes we can,' and Canada saying, `No we won't.' "

Michael Martin, Canada's ambassador for climate change and the country's chief negotiator at the conference, denies obstructionism, saying Canada is playing a constructive role.

But the environmentalists don't buy that.

"It's becoming increasingly clear that Canada is using the global economic downturn to justify its demand for weak intensity targets, rather than the strong science-based targets the world needs to avoid dangerous climate change," said Steven Guilbeault of Equiterre.

The activists said the United States, under the administration of President George W. Bush, had been the major roadblock in climate change negotiations, but Canada seems ready to be the new chief villain.

"With the U.S. finally leaving the Coalition of the Unwilling, will Canada take over its position as the least helpful country at the UN climate negotiations?" the Climate Action Network of Canada asked.

There's criticism from international voices as well.

"One of the richest countries in the world is blocking progress while we are already struggling with the devastating consequences of climate change," said Moussa Na Abau Mamouda of ENDA Third World, Dakar, Senegal.

"Industrialized countries like Canada must show leadership."

Environment Minister Jim Prenctice is to present Canada's formal position at the conference Thursday.

A delegation of young Canadian environmentalists plan to take the minister to task at a meeting they have scheduled with him.

"Canada's current position on climate change is completely unacceptable," said Alex Doukas of Calgary, a member of the Canadian youth delegation to the conference. "So far, they have put forth extremely weak reduction targets which will leave our generation vulnerable to the worst effects of climate change."

The delegation is crying foul after unflattering photos of Alberta's massive oilsands projects were taken down by United Nations officials.

The youth group, sponsored in part by the United Church, says a handful of photos, including some borrowed from Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, were removed from a public area.

Christel Hyshka, 23, of Edmonton, says she was told by UN staff the photos were torn down as the result of a complaint from the Canadian government delegation.

A spokeswoman for Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner says the province had no role in removing the photos. Federal officials could not be reached for comment.

The UN conference is negotiating a climate treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2010. Its successor is due to be finished at a Copenhagen climate summit next December.

Kyoto required industrial countries to cut emissions by an average five per cent from 1990 levels. Canada has rejected that standard, seeking instead to reduce emissions by 20 per cent from 2006 levels by 2020.

Environment groups say that doesn't go far enough.

"It's so disappointing," said Joy Kennedy of the United Church of Canada. "Canadians expect better."

She said Canada is acting as if climate change is not a crisis.

"We can't continue to postpone action. Having been so much a part of creating the problem, it's time we started providing solutions."