UN releases draft text for COP21 global climate deal

The United Nations has released a new shortened version of the negotiating text for the international UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Paris in December.

The new draft was released on Monday, and at just 20 pages, is less than a quarter of the length of the previous 89-page document which negotiators have been using.

The text will provide the basis for negotiations at the final preliminary talks before the Paris conference, which will take place in the German city of Bonn from 19-23 October.

The text was drafted by Algerian diplomat Ahmed Djoghlaf and U.S. diplomat Dan Reifsnyder, two co-chairs for the climate negotiations, and determines which parts of the deal will be legally binding.

The draft includes a long-term global target for transitioning to a low-carbon economy and confirms that nations will be expected to commit to new carbon emissions reduction plans every five years.

UN member states have been submitting climate action plans called Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) in the build up to the Paris meeting and the 5-year updates will be designed to bolster these and ensure that countries are on track to meet their targets.

The new draft also addresses to climate finance and includes the potential for developing countries to meet their pledge to provide $100bn per year from 2020 for developing nations to enhance their adaptation and mitigation efforts.

Negotiators will continue to work on finalising the text before the Paris conference ends on 11 December.