Climate deal ‘to keep temperature rise under 2C’

{Proposed 195-nation draft accord to curb emissions of heat-trapping gases submitted at COP21 conference in Paris.}

French hosts have submitted a proposed 195-nation draft accord to curb emissions of the heat-trapping gases that threaten to wreak havoc on Earth’s climate system.

Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, who presided over nearly a fortnight of talks in Paris that ran into overtime despite all-night negotiations, delivered the accord on Saturday to ministers who must now decide whether or not to approve it.

“The world is holding its breath and counting on all of us,” said Fabius, his voice occasionally breaking with emotion.

Describing it as “a historic accord”, Fabius said the agreement would aim to limit warming of the planet since the Industrial Revolution to “well” below 2.0 degrees Celsius and strive for an even more ambitious goal of 1.5C.

The deal would also mean mobilising a minimum of $100bn a year from 2020 to help the developing world cope with global warming, he said.

Importantly, a new figure for the financing would be set by 2025, Fabius said.

Fabius said the overall agreement would be “legally binding”.

Observers said that as the draft document had yet to be unveiled, it was not immediately clear if the financing would be a legal commitment, which the United States had been resisting.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pressed the world’s envoys to approve the pact.

“The end is in sight. Let’s now finish the job. The world is watching,” he said.

“Millions of people depend on your wisdom.”

SOURCE:AL JAZEERA:[Climate deal ‘to keep temperature rise under 2C’->http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/12/draft-climate-deal-global-warming-2c-151212110833046.html]