Sarkozy called for more US action as lawmakers in Washington began debating legislation aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants.

"It's a great opportunity for us to have President Obama and we must help him succeed because the United States is the world's top economy," Sarkozy said during a visit to Urmatt in eastern France.

"We have to be able to convince President Obama that the pledges he has made on the environment are great news... but he must go further and perhaps even draw inspiration from what the Europeans are doing," he said.

US lawmakers on Monday kicked off debate on legislation creating a "cap and trade" system for curbing pollution blamed for global warming amid stiff Republican opposition.

Obama's Democratic allies, who control the Senate and House of Representatives, hope the bill will lend momentum to December global climate change talks in Copenhagen.

The US bill would require utilities to get 15 percent of their electricity from renewable resources such as solar, wind and geothermal by 2020.

The European Union plan calls for getting 20 percent of all electricity from renewable resources by 2020.

"Once we have convinced the United States, Europe and the United States will hand-in-hand persuade emerging powers China, India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa that they too must take part in this fight to preserve the planet's equilibrium," said Sarkozy.

The US measure aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. Europe has pledged to cut its own emissions by at least 20 percent from 1990 levels by 2020, and 30 percent if other advanced economies follow suit.

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