After a marathon session that extended beyond planned time period, delegates from the United Nation countries reach an agreement on how countries should tackle climate change at a conference in Lima, Peru in December 2014. Delegates from 194 countries agreed on a framework that will be submitted to a conference coming in 2015 in Paris. The issue concentrated on separate roles that wealthier countries and poor countries should play. Even the Paris, France summit to adopt a new treaty will not be easy but at least a path has been identified that all nations can work on to cut carbon emissions.

Recent agreement on principle between the Unites States and China to cut carbon emission by 2030 to a previous level provided a positive starting point for the conference. Each country or group did not get what they wanted on climate change achievements but agreed on financing and pledges and further agreed to a new classification of nations rather than categorizing rich and poor. Most of the emissions are generated in developing countries and delegates agreed to “loss and damage” help for them. The UN climate change body will prepare and present a report on nation’s pledges by November 2015.