DW - Despite Extra Day Added To Schedule, Durban Talks Slump To Close W. No Agreement Expected

[hatrack]

Time is running out for a deal to be reached at the United Nations climate talks in Durban, South Africa, despite all-night negotiations and an extra day.

Both the German and French environment ministers were pessimistic about the chances of key players agreeing to any sort of substantial action plan. "We are now in an extremely critical situation because of time," said German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen. "The delay is very critical. It is very doubtful whether we will succeed."

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Dozens of the world's poorest countries and small island states have joined the EU in backing a plan that would extend the Kyoto Protocol, while drawing the world's biggest emitters - including China, the United States and India - into binding emission cuts by 2020. The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. The grouping encompasses a clear majority of nations present at the talks.

The world's biggest emitters, China and the United States, however, are among those most resistant to the proposal. "Only a very few countries stand in the way of agreement here," Röttgen told reporters. "These are the main emitters, as has been the case throughout the week - the US, China, India." The US has long argued that it will not enter into binding cuts to its emissions unless similar rules are applied to the world's large developing countries.

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http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15589783,00.html

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. Well at least the have backed on throwing rocks at Canada