No major deal expected at Durban

Negotiations concluded on Friday for the last set of discussions before the Durban conference next month. Hopes of extending the Kyoto protocol, which is ending next year are thought to be slim. The negotiators do hope the talks will lay the foundations for a climate deal in Rio however.

"Governments are really committed to starting a process toward that (new pact) and that includes the United States and China," Christiana Figueres, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC said.

The problem with Kyoto was that only developed nations were asked to contribute which, given the rapid expansion of countries like China and India, is no longer a viable way to lower emissions sufficiently. The USA never signed the Kyoto agreement and several other countries including Canada, Russia and Japan have indicated they will not sign up to a new deal. The EU maintains that they will commit to a new deal, however it is irrelevant if they are the only significant signee.

A key matter of dispute is the Green Climate Fund, the $100 billion a year fund designed to aid developing countries take action against climate change. Though still in the conception stage, this fund is causing great debate and further dividing the opinions of the developed and developing world.

Australia and Norway are both looking at a more ‘realistic’ target of 2015 for a binding climate agreement, but most countries are resigned to a long wait before a new deal will be cemented in place.