Last-minute climate deals reached

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature: "Ministers at the climate change conference in Montreal have made a series of breakthroughs in plans to combat global warming.

On the conference's last day, Kyoto Protocol signatories agreed to extend the treaty on emissions reductions beyond its 2012 deadline.

And a broader group of countries including the US agreed to non-binding talks on long-term measures.

The US had refused to accept any deal leading to commitments to cuts.

Earlier, former President Bill Clinton said the US approach was "flat wrong".

After Mr Clinton's remarks - which were warmly received - the official US team appeared to shift its position.

CONFERENCE BUSINESS
* Details of how to implement the Kyoto Protocol finalised
* Agreement among Kyoto signatories on plan to deepen emissions cuts after 2012
* US and other Kyoto non-signatories persuaded to take part in non-binding dialogue workshops

Last week delegates finalised a rule book for Kyoto, formally making it fully operational after years of negotiation and ratification.

The 1997 treaty commits industrialised countries to cut their combined carbon emissions to 5% below 1990 levels by 2008-12. "