Countries adopt draft text for accord to fight climate change

Roughly 200 countries agreed to draft language for an agreement to tackle climate change on Friday.

Reuters reports government delegates adopted an 86-page draft as the foundation for negotiations on the pact, which is expected to be finished later this year. 

{mosads}”Although it has become longer, countries are now fully aware of each other’s positions,” said Christiana Figueres, the head of the U.N. climate change secretariat, referring to an earlier 38-page document which formed the basis of discussions. 

The document includes a number of varying pitches, however, for what each nation thinks is the best path toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The U.S. is attempting to take a lead role in negotiations leading to the Paris talks later this year, but officials want the agreement to be flexible and not legally binding.