Cautious optimism for new climate deal

Environment Minister Peter Kent said a new global climate agreement could be reached by 2015. This comes after a UN summit in Durban, South Africa. 

Parties at the conference agreed to begin negotiations on a new accord.

This would place all participating countries under the same binding commitments to control greenhouse gases.

The 1997 Kyoto Protocol will be extended under the Durban Platform. This was set to expire at the end of next year. The Canadian government has been opposing the protocol. It said it would not renew its commitment to the accord. The new climate deal would take effect by 2020 at the latest.