UN climate forum extends Kyoto Protocol to 2020

DOHA, QATAR – UN climate talks in Doha have come to a point of agreement on the extension of the Kyoto protocol, despite an objection from the Russian Federation.

After 36 hours of non-stop negotiation, delegates from nearly 200 nations in the Qatari capital agreed on Saturday to extend the protocol limiting greenhouse gas emissions until 2020.

Almost immediately after Qatar’s energy minister announced an agreement Russia stated its objection.

However, it only covers developed nations whose share of world greenhouse gas emissions is less than 15%.

The US – a major polluter – has never ratified the original 1997 protocol.

The agreement had been due to expire later this year.

The 12-day meeting in Qatar’s capital Doha overran by more than 24 hours because of differences over whether rich nations should have to compensate poorer states for losses due to climate change.

A spate of scientific reports released during the two-week meeting provided compelling new evidence that the Earth’s climate is warming. They also predicted dire consequences