EU hails 'historic breakthrough' at UN climate talks

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union on Sunday hailed a "historic breakthrough" after UN climate talks produced a roadmap towards an accord joining all major greenhouse-gas emitters.

"The European Union welcomes the agreement reached at the UN climate conference in Durban as a historic breakthrough in the fight against climate change," the European Commission said in a statement.

"Where the (1997) Kyoto (protocol) divides the world into two categories, we will now get a system that reflects the reality of todays mutually interdependent world," Connie Hedegaard, the EU commissioner for climate action, said in the statement.

"With the agreement ... towards a new legal framework by 2015 that will involve all countries in combating climate change, the EU has achieved its key goal for the Durban climate conference," said Hedegaard, who played a key role in the marathon negotiations. "The EU's strategy worked."

Polish Environment Minister Marcin Korolec, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, also hailed a "significant success" in Durban.

The roadmap for the first time will bring all major greenhouse-gas emitters under a single legal roof.

If approved as scheduled in 2015, the pact will be operational from 2020 and become the prime weapon in the fight against climate change.

The deal was reached after nearly 14 days of talks under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).