LOS ANGELES: Democrats in Congress worked on Thursday to win over US lawmakers skeptical of climate change legislation, while climate leader California took another major step with low-carbon rules on fuels that could be copied nationwide.

The two moves signaled growing political momentum behind efforts to curb greenhouse gases, which President Barack Obama, a Democrat, has made a policy priority after years of slow going by his Republican predecessor, George W. Bush.

US Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern told said in an interview on Thursday that "what happens in our own legislative process" will determine the country's commitment to cutting emissions in a global climate deal.