Environment     

2nd commitment period of Kyoto Protocol agreed

China.org.cn, December 11, 2011

• Xie Zhenhua, vice director of China's National Development and Reform Commission and head of the Chinese delegation, addresses the plenary session of the UN Climate Conference (COP17) in Durban, South Africa, Dec. 11, 2011. [Xinhua/Li Qihua]

  After an extra day of hard negotiations, the UN climate talks agreed Sunday to the second commitment period under Kyoto Protocol, the only legally-binding treaty for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

  With the first commitment period expiring next year, the timeline of the next commitment period is expected to be decided in 2012.

  The talks had been scheduled to end last Friday and it was prolonged due to strong divisions on some key issues.

Copyright © China.org.cn. All Rights Reserved