HEILIGENDAMM, Germany, June 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday that he has a "strong desire" to work with other world leaders for a post-Kyoto Protocol agreement designed to tackle climate change.

    Bush made the remarks after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel before the summit of the Group of Eight (G8) leading industrialized nations in the northern German resort of Heiligendamm.

    "I come here with a strong desire to work with others for a post-Kyoto Treaty agreement," said Bush.

    The United States, the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter, remains committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and raising energy efficiency, he said.

    The United States has been under attack from Europe and environmental activists for not having taken stronger measures to tackle climate change.

    Germany, which holds the rotating G8 presidency, has called for action to limit the rise in global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius this century and to halve carbon emissions by 2050, a proposal strongly opposed by the United States.

    Bush announced a separate plan, calling on 15 of the world's biggest greenhouse producers to meet and agree on long-term goals by the end of 2008.

    The United States, which withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol in 2001, remains opposed to mandatory targets, citing that environmental protection cannot come at the price of hurting economic growth.

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she expected "intensive debate" during the three-day summit which will focus on climate change, development in Africa, the Doha Round talks of the World Trade Organization, and the U.S. plan to deploy a missile defense shield in Central Europe.

    Leaders from the G8 nations will kick off their annual summit later Wednesday.

    The G8 club gathers Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.