Climate negotiators in last-ditch effort to reach deal in Cancun

The world’s climate negotiators were engaged in last-minute talks to reach an agreement on tackling climate change in the Mexican resort of Cancun. Participants have high hopes of finding a way to help poor nations implement environmental policies.

A woman looks at a poster of the Great Climate Wall of China by Greenpeace in Tianjin Reuters

"We have entered the new phase where it is not about each individual topic only. Now it's about the overall package," EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard has told reporters in Cancun.

The shadow of a Copenhagen failure appeared to be receding as UN climate negotiators also said a “balanced” package was within reach in Cancun.

Participants saw a growing consensus on how to set up a "climate fund," which would start making use of the hundreds of billions of dollars of aid pledged for developing countries worst affected by rising temperatures.

Negotiators however have not yet overcome disagreements on on the future status of the landmark Kyoto Protocol and on how to verify countries’ pledges.

German Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen voiced frustration at "resistance" to more ambitious action on climate change, singling out top emitters the United States and China.

"We must act now. For the next generation it will be too late," he said. "There is resistance from other countries that say we don't want to go this way. If the big emitters, the US and China, don't want to, we can't force them."