France seeks short and long-lasting Paris climate change deal

Legal core of a new UN accord on climate change should be short and concise, compared to current 90-page draft, says French government

A United Nations accord to slow global warming should be short, flexible and long-lasting to avoid complex re-negotiations every few years, according to a document prepared by France before a Paris summit in December.

The deal will also have to ensure that governments do not backtrack on promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions despite a likely lack of sanctions, according to a briefing for climate ministers attending preparatory talks in Paris on 20-21 July.