Developing countries that are key players have come together to support the EU's plan for a binding agreement to combat global warming. However, draft agreements at the UN climate talks show that there are still significant disagreements, and Europe has warned that the negotiations could break down. The EU's proposal aims for a new deal by 2015 that would require major emitters to make binding cuts to their greenhouse gas emissions, with the pact taking effect within five years. EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard noted that Brazil and South Africa, both major polluters, now back the idea of binding emissions cuts. Despite this, she cautioned that reaching an agreement by the end of the talks in Durban was uncertain, as a few countries have yet to commit to the EU's roadmap and its essential components. If there is no additional progress by 4 o'clock this morning, it is unlikely that a deal will be reached in Durban. This is the current situation we are facing. A draft agreement has been proposed that would require more than 30 industrialized nations to reduce emissions as part of the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol. However, this agreement would only be accepted if all major emitters, including China, India, and the United States, agree to legally binding targets in a separate, broader agreement. Many climate experts are skeptical that the wording of this second agreement will be acceptable, as it only mentions a "legal framework" rather than a binding treaty, which is what the European Union and many developing countries are pushing for. Rene Orellana, chief negotiator for Bolivia and part of the ALBA group of Latin American nations, expressed concern that without a legal regime to control emissions from big emitters like developed countries, there would be no framework to enforce compliance. He warned that if the proposed texts were approved, it would not only mean the end of the Kyoto agreement but also pose a threat to the planet. Critics also point out that the texts lack clarity on when emissions cuts should be implemented and the extent of the reductions. The EU's approach at the conference is to create a coalition of willing countries to put pressure on China, the United States, and India to agree to enforceable reductions in carbon emissions. These three countries are not obligated by the Kyoto Protocol. The US will only commit to binding cuts if all major polluters also agree to do so. China and India argue that it would be unfair to expect them to make the same level of cuts as developed countries, which have historically been the main contributors to global warming. Many delegates anticipate that the climate talks in Durban will result in a weak political agreement, with countries agreeing to begin discussions on a new system of mandatory greenhouse gas reductions. They claim that anything less than achieving change would be catastrophic. Recent U.N. reports indicate that time is running out to make a difference, as a warming planet will worsen droughts, floods, crop failures, and sea level rise, putting several island nations at risk of extinction. The Durban talks, set to conclude on Friday, are anticipated to continue late into the night and possibly into Saturday. Delegates from small islands and African states expressed frustration with the slow progress of the talks and participated in a protest with green groups outside of the main negotiation room. "You must rescue us, the islands must not go under. Our survival is our right, you cannot determine our fate. We will need to be rescued," stated Mohamed Aslam, the climate negotiator for the Maldives. Karl Hood, the foreign minister of Grenada and leader of the 43-nation Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) who are at the forefront of climate change, expressed frustration that the discussions were not addressing the core climate issues. "We are getting caught up in minor matters instead of focusing on the major problem, such as emphasizing adaptation over mitigation," he explained. I believe that Durban could ultimately bring an end to UN climate negotiations.