Molewa: climate deal unlikely, 'political agreement' is sought

As a result, South Africa's environment minister does not expect countries to agree on a legally binding climate deal, but does expect the talks at least to help retain the Kyoto protocol framework and move discussions forward.

"The whole world is quite aware that it will not be possible to get a legally binding agreement out of Durban," Edna Molewa, Minister for Environment and Water, told Reuters in an interview, "because there hasn't been much discussion or agreement on what form that agreement would take, and there isn't any kind of draft right now". However, according to the IOL report, she said South Africa was confident a "political agreement" could be reached to preserve the architecture of Kyoto until a binding deal could emerge by 2015.

For more:

• IOL: Climate deal unlikely, says Molewa