Agreement reached at UN climate conference after marathon session
Posted December 11, 2011 7:48 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
After hours of negotiating and very little sleep, delegates at the global climate talks in South Africa have finally reached an agreement.
Delegates at the conference agreed to pursue a new accord, which would ensure countries are legally bound to live up to their vows to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The negotiations ran 36 hours beyond the scheduled end of talks, marking a marathon session that pushed delegates to the limits.
UK Climate Secretary Chris Huhne said, while not necessarily a solution, the deal is a step in the right direction.
“This maps out a process whereby we can get to what we really need, which is an overarching global agreement where all the major emitters are going to be taking targets to reduce their emissions,” Huhne said.
Meanwhile, one representative from the World Wildlife Foundation criticized the decision, calling it too little too late.
“The biggest problem here was the lack of ambition, in terms of immediate action to reduce carbon emissions,” he said.
Talks to reach the new legally binding accord are due to begin next year, wrap up by 2015 and come into effect by 2020.
