The decision at the Nov. 6-17 talks, circulated on Wednesday after it was adopted by officials late on Tuesday, has to be approved by ministers attending the final three days of the Nov. 6-17 conference in Nairobi.

The wording matched a decision taken a year ago in Montreal. Many environmentalists, who want a deal by the end of 2008, had urged tougher language.

The group leading talks on an extension of Kyoto said it "underscores the need for the energetic and timely pursuit of its work programme."

"This will also give a clear signal to economic actors about the continuity of the international carbon market," it said.

Kyoto binds 35 nations to cut emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels in power plants, factories and vehicles, to 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-12.

The draft decision said that work in 2007 would focus on analysis of how countries can reach emissions reduction targets, including emissions trading.

The work would also involve "analysis of the mitigation potential, effectiveness, efficiency, costs and benefits of current and future policies, measures and technologies," it said.

Kyoto is meant as a first step towards averting potentially disastrous climate change, such as more floods, heatwaves, drought and rising sea levels.

Developing nations have also been urging rich states to accept new, tougher binding targets for cuts by the end of 2008. Many Kyoto countries say they want to set targets by 2009, to reassure investors in carbon markets.

Some experts say that a deal may have to wait until 2010, to see if the United states will sign up after President George W. Bush steps down in 2009. Bush pulled out of Kyoto in 2001, saying it wrongly omitted poor nations and would cost US jobs.