Leaders to continue trying for climate deal

GOVERNMENTS from around the world will this week sort through the outcome of the Copenhagen climate summit as the UN prepares to try again for a binding global agreement next year.

The Copenhagen meeting, which was the largest gathering in the UN’s history of heads of state and government, was considered to be a failure as the 119 leaders did not commit to cut greenhouse gas emissions by specific figures over the next decade.

Countries have until the end of January to say what their voluntary reductions will be, but those announced at the conference would allow temperatures to rise above the critical 2 degrees C which scientists say would mean devastation for millions of people.