UN climate conference approves landmark deal

[pampango]

Source: Aljazeera

New accord will put all countries under the same legal requirements to control greenhouse gases by 2020 at the latest.

The president of a United Nations climate conference in South Africa has announced agreement on a program mapping out a new course by all nations to fight climate change over the coming decades.

The 194-party conference agreed on Sunday to start negotiations on a new accord that would put all countries under the same legal regime to enforce their commitments to control greenhouse gases. It would take effect by 2020 at the
latest.

Currently, only industrial countries have legally binding emissions targets under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Those commitments expire next year, but they will be extended for another five years under the accord adopted on Sunday.

For the first time, it would bring all the major emitters, including China and India, unto the same legally binding roof.

Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/12/20111210201555253969.html

[tabatha]

1. Wow. Awesome if it sticks.

[russspeakeasy]

2. ...if it hangs together. They are only starting...

[Little Tich]

3. The conference is a success, imho. The Kyoto protocol wil continue, and by 2015, all the big

polluters will negotiate a new treaty with "an agreed outcome with legal force", whatever that means.

[cal04]

4. Climate talks end with late deal

(snip)
The European Union will place its current emission-cutting pledges inside the legally-binding Kyoto Protocol, a key demand of developing countries.

Talks on a new legal deal covering all countries will begin next year and end by 2015, coming into effect by 2020.

Management of a fund for climate aid to poor countries has also been agreed, though how to raise the money has not.

Talks ran nearly 36 hours beyond their scheduled close, with many delegates saying the host government lacked urgency and strategy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16124670

Climate Conference Approves Landmark Deal
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/conference-overtime-future-climate-talks-15127452