Paris climate change talks yield first draft amid air of optimism

Country representatives and green groups say French summit is more cordial and efficient than Copenhagen five years ago

Negotiators paving the way for a global climate change agreement in Paris have cleared a major hurdle, producing a draft accord in record time and raising hopes that a full week of minister-led talks can now clinch a deal despite many sticking points.

No part of the deal has been finalised because in the end it is likely to be a tradeoff between developing countries' demands - particularly for financing to help cope with the impacts of locked-in climate change - and wealthier nations' insistence that over time all countries properly account for the progress they have made towards emission reduction goals.