Talks to cut poverty, increase access to fresh water and promote economic growth while repairing environmental damage run from August 26-September 4 in Johannesburg, a decade after the first Earth Summit in Rio.

The Democrats' comments were the latest salvo in their battle to wrest control of the U.S. House of Representatives from the Republicans in the mid-term November elections. The Democrats control the Senate.

Many Democrats believe President George W. Bush's high approval rating among the electorate will not protect Republican House members, and that the administration's Achilles' heel could be environmental issues and its ties to big corporations.

"The United states has a special obligation and opportunity (to promote clean growth) as the world's richest nation and its biggest polluter," said Earl Blumenauer of Oregon.

The U.S. has said it will accept no binding targets for those goals and would offer no new aid money in Johannesburg after pledging to raise aid at a summit in Mexico in March.

Bush has said he would not be among the 100 world leaders joining the final talks next week, sending instead Secretary of State Colin Powell - a decision blasted by the Democrats.

MISTAKE TO STAY AWAY

"It's a horrible mistake. This was an opportunity for the president to come here and demonstrate his concern and his commitment on these issues at the same time as pressing his war on terrorism," said Miller.

U.S. efforts at the summit have focused on partnership projects between governments, business, local communities and interest groups to solve the planet's ills, although critics say those deals lack proper oversight and are an excuse for governments to abdicate responsibility to the private sector.

The congressmen were equally critical of those plans, which often incorporate previous programmes and simply shift resources from existing operations. "(The U.S.) has a recycled idea and recycled money," Miller said.

Many delegates in the talks between nearly 200 states said the United States was also leading resistance to any effort at going beyond a world trade deal struck in Doha last year to phase out export subsidies and to make "substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support".

The congressman also urged the administration to reverse its opposition to the international treaty designed to slow global warming - an issue that was pushed down the agenda at Johannesburg to encourage Bush to attend.

"More than 70 nations have signed on, and it's imperative that our nation, which has 25 percent of the energy consumption and only five percent of the population, participate in this," said Ohio's Dennis Kucinich.