A modest plan to combat climate change including a new fund to help poor nations has been agreed at an international summit in Mexico.
"This is a new era of international cooperation on climate change," Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa told delegates at the end of two weeks of talks overshadowed by disputes between rich and poor countries.
The deal comprises a "Green Climate Fund," reaffirms a goal of raising $100 billion in aid by 2020 and has measures to protect tropical forests and new ways to share new clean energy technologies.
Ms Espinosa banged down her gavel on the deal despite objections by Bolivia, which said the deal demanded too little of developed nations in cutting greenhouse gases.
The decision has to be formally endorsed at a full formal session later today, and in requires unanimity from all 190 states.
Applause by weary delegates drowned out any possible objections by Bolivia, which has been isolated at the meeting in opposing the deal.
The plan was unlocked after delegates simply put off until 2011 a dispute between rich and poor nations over the future of the UN's Kyoto Protocol. Kyoto obliges developed nations to cut emissions until 2012.
The deal does not include a commitment to extend Kyoto beyond 2012, when it is due to expire, but it would prevent a collapse of climate change negotiations and allow for some modest advances on protecting the environment.
Earlier, the United States, China and dozens of other countries rallied around the plan for a modest package of measures including a new "Green Climate Fund" to help poor nations cope with climate change.
The proposal, brokered by Mexico, would also help share clean technologies such as wind and solar power, help protect tropical forests, and help poor nations adapt to impacts such as floods, droughts and rising sea levels.
Some delegates said that the session should not be held hostage by Bolivia alone.
"Bolivia ... rejects this document," Bolivian delegate Pablo Solon earlier told weary colleagues after a 20-minute harangue of capitalism and climate policies by rich nations.
Bolivia has the toughest demands of any nation at the talks, demanding that rich nations halve their greenhouse gas emissions by 2017 from 1990 levels - far beyond the demands of other nations.
"The deal is done. There will probably be a footnote that Bolivia objected," said Jake Schmidt, of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Decisions are not adopted by votes, but when there are no objections raised by any country.
Reuters