The developing and developed countries came together to develop the Durban Platform, an agreement to establish mandatory emissions caps.  But what happens until then?  Here is a "just-the-facts" look at the COP17 decisions that spell out interim activities and will inform the eventual treaty.

Climate talks are underway in Durban, South Africa, and the Ecosystem Marketplace is on the team to provide up-to-date coverage and analysis. Check back daily for updates

Climate talks have begun in Durban, South Africa, and expectations for a global solution have never been lower.  This leaves more delegates preparing for a multilateral future where several clusters of international arrangements could replacing the Kyoto Protocol.  Here’s an overview of the situation to-date.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday signed a two-year moratorium on logging in primary forests and dredging in peatlands to unlock up to $1 billion in seed funding from the government of Norway that could help the country earn billions more by saving tropical rainforests and capturing carbon in trees.

To earn a shot at that less-than-certain income, however, it will have to forego guaranteed billions in concessions from logging, pulp, and palm oil industries – an equation that prompted internal government debate over the definition of “primary forest”, and delayed the signing of the moratorium by five months.  The official text is expected to be released on Friday, and those definition are sure to be scrutinized by industry groups and environmentalists alike.