Legally binding climate deal possible

The ongoing Paris climate conference could result in a package consisting of a legally binding agreement, China's chief climate change official said in the French capital on Thursday.

Negotiators from nearly 200 countries will try to reach an agreement by Friday next week that sets the world on a path to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Before then, they have to draft a text that should be ready by Saturday for ministers to review next week, as scheduled.

"However, the process has been very slow and there are many divergences," said Xie Zhenhua, China's special representative for climate change.