DHAKA: France has submitted a draft climate deal to delegates at the UN climate change conference aimed at curbing emissions of the heat-trapping gases that threaten to wreak havoc on Earth's climate system.

Describing it as ‘a historic accord’, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said on Saturday that the agreement would aim to limit warming of the planet since the Industrial Revolution to ‘well’ below 2.0 degrees Celsius and strive for an even more ambitious goal of 1.5C.

The draft agreement comes after nearly a fortnight of hectic parleys in Paris now needs to be approved by the delegates from 195 nations.

‘The world is holding its breath and counting on all of us,’ said Fabius, his voice occasionally breaking with emotion.

The deal would also mean mobilizing a minimum of $100bn a year from 2020 to help the developing world cope with global warming, he said.

Importantly, a new figure for the financing would be set by 2025, Fabius said.

Fabius said the overall agreement would be ‘legally binding’.

Observers said that as the draft document had yet to be unveiled; it was not immediately clear if the financing would be a legal commitment, which the United States had been resisting.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pressed the world’s envoys to approve the pact.

‘The end is in sight. Let’s now finish the job. The world is watching,’ he said.

‘Millions of people depend on your wisdom.’

BDST: 1855 HRS, DEC 12, 2015
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