Climate Talks Yield Limited Agreement to Work Towards Replacing Kyoto Protocol

By: Elijah Recto

After 72 hours of continuous discussion, the 17th conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change wrapped up on December 12, 2011 with simple accomplishments: the promise to work toward a new global treaty in coming years and the establishment of a new climate fund.

The deal on a future treaty renews the Kyoto Protocol, the fraying 1997 emissions agreement that sets different terms for advanced and developing countries, for several more years. But it also begins a process for replacing the Kyoto agreement with something that treats all countries -- including the economic powerhouses China, India and Brazil -- equally.

The deal on a future treaty was the most highly debated element of a package of agreements that emerged from the extended talks among 200 nations here.

The expiration date of the protocol and the terms of any agreement that replaces it is said to be negotiated at future sessions.

The delegates also agreed on the creation of a fund to help poor countries adapt to climate change and to take measures involving the preservation of tropical forests and the development of clean-energy technology. The reserve, called the Green Climate Fund, would help mobilize a promised $100 billion a year in public and private financing by 2020 to assist developing countries in adapting to climate change and converting to clean energy sources.

Even though the meeting took a while many analysts and delegates were unsatisfied with the end results of the discussion saying that the result of the meeting were temporary solutions and not permanent solutions and that it would not have a significant impact on climate change.