"The officials from around the world who will gather in South Africa on Monday to convene the latest round of U.N. climate negotiations are facing an uncomfortable fact: The global pact that has dictated greenhouse-gas targets since 1997 may no longer be relevant.

The mandatory targets of the Kyoto Protocol cover less than a third of the world’s carbon output. Major emitters are not bound by it. And, increasingly, the world is relying on a patchwork of measures rather than a universal treaty to lessen the impacts of global warming.

The Kyoto agreement won’t die altogether in Durban; it may be extended for another five years without binding commitments from industrialized nations while programs for international carbon offsets are preserved as a way to compensate for emissions.

Delegates to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change will focus largely on technical details, such as how to administer a future fund to help poor nations adapt to global warming and how to transfer clean technology to developed nations.

But the debates over concrete policies to cut greenhouse-gas emissions over the next decade are happening in places such as the Australian Parliament and California’s Air Resources Board."

Juliet Eilperin reports for the Washington Post November 27, 2011. [2]

Follow News From the UNFCCC Climate Talks Throughout the Day on SEJ's Durban Diary [3]

SEE ALSO:

"Last Chance To Save Kyoto Deal at Climate Talks" (Reuters) [4]

"Another Try for a Global Climate Effort" (New York Times) [5]

"Global Climate Talks Wait for Zuma, Start Late" (Reuters) [6]

"China Says "Not Optimistic" About Climate Talks" (Reuters)
[7]
"China: 'Extend Kyoto Protocol'" (China Daily) [8]

"China, India Hold Up Agreement To Curb HFCs" (Washington Post)
[9]
"Small Coffee Farmers Hoping for a Wake-Up Call at Climate Talks" (Irish Times) [10]

"Deadlock Looms Over CO2 Cuts as Durban Summit Begins" (Independent)
[11]
"Pope Calls for Responsible, Credible Climate Deal That Takes Into Account World’S Poorest" (AP) [12]

"Durban Climate Conference -- Crunch Time On Climate Change" (Huffington Post/WWF)
[13]
"UK Calls for New Legal Climate Deal By 2015" (BBC News)
[14]
"Rich Nations Accused of Climate-Change 'Bullying'" (Independent)
[15]
"UN Climate Official Hopes Conference Will Take Long-Delayed Decision on Cutting Pollution" (AP)
[16]
"Climate Change Hits Africa's Poorest Farmers" (AP)
[17]
"China Records Biggest Reduction in Emissions" (Xinhua)
[18]
"Agriculture Orgs Up Pressure Ahead of Durban Climate Talks" (Wall St. Journal)
[19]
"Durban Climate Talks: There Is a Feasible Plan B To Combat Climate Change" (Guardian) [20]

"UN Climate Conference Opens in South Africa" (Voice of America) [21]

"Q&A: Durban COP17 Climate Talks" (Guardian) [22]