Russia supports Canada's decision to pull out of the Kyoto protocol, says its foreign ministry, reaffirming Friday that Moscow will not take on new commitments.

Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told Friday's briefing that the treaty does not cover all major polluters, and thus cannot help solve the climate crisis.

Canada on Monday pulled out of the agreement initially adopted in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, to cut carbon emissions contributing to global warming. Its move dealt a blow to the treaty, which has not been formally renounced by any other country.

"This is yet another example that the 1997 Kyoto protocol has lost its effectiveness in the context of the social and economic situation of the 21st century," Lukashevich said, adding that the document does not ensure the participation of all key emitters.

The protocol requires some industrialised countries to slash emissions, but doesn't cover the world's largest polluters, China and the United States. Canada, Japan and Russia said last year they will not accept new Kyoto commitments.

Russia is the only country to speak out in support of Canada's move so far, with even Japan calling the withdrawl "disappointing" and China condeming it as "preposterous".

Canada's environment minister Peter Kent defended the decision on Monday, saying it would save the country $14bn in emissions trading permits it could have had to buy for not achieving its Kyoto targets. "To meet the targets under Kyoto for 2012 would be the equivalent of either removing every car, truck, ATV, tractor, ambulance, police car and vehicle of every kind from Canadian roads or closing down the entire farming and agriculture sector and cutting heat to every home, office, hospital, factory and building in Canada," Kent said.

At the Durban climate talks last week, the EU committed to a new commitment period of the protocol.