Countries participating in the 2010 climate conference in Cancun, Mexico, agreed to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius to avoid a "dangerous" disruption of the climate system caused by humans. No one expects any big promises to be made to reduce emissions at the climate conference, which takes place from November 26 to December 7, 2012 in the Qatari capital Doha. Most countries have already committed to certain reduction. New commitments, if any, are only expected to come from developed countries.
The success or failure of the climate conference in Doha will depend on how the Kyoto Protocol will be extended. Under this agreement, which went into effect in 2005, industrialized nations pledged to reduce their combined emissions of main greenhouse gases by at least five percent against 1990 levels over a five-year period from 2008 to 2012.
Actually, the extension of the Kyoto Protocol is a done deal. Nations agreed to it at the climate summit in Durban last year. They agreed to extend it without agreeing to any details. The focus of the Doha conference will be on agreeing on details, such as extending the protocol to 2018 or even 2020.
-tk-