Cape Town, South Africa - South African President Jacob Zuma, on Monday called on delegates attending the UN climate conference in Durban to work a 'balanced, fair and credible' outcome with a view to reaffirming the Kyoto Protocol. 'You have before you the responsibility to re-affirm the multi-lateral rules-based system undercut by the Kyoto Protocol,' he said at the opening of the conference at the International Convention Centre here. He called on delegates to provide the funding needed by developing countries to address the impacts of climate change, adding that Africa was specifically vulnerable to climate change, not just because of extreme events such as droughts and floods, but also due to poverty, 'which limits the ability of countries to cope with climate change'.

The South African International Relations and Co-operation Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who was named president 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17), said: 'We are in Durban with one purpose - to secure a future for generations to come.'

PANA reports that the summit has been overshadowed by signs of a deepening political rift on how to slow the carbon juggernaut.

Wealthy countries like the US and China that are parties to the Kyoto Protocol are balking at demands to renew their emissions-cutting vows beyond 2012.

And fears are widening that the so-called BASIC countries - Brazil, China, India and South Africa - which are also major culprits - want to push back a global pact to as late as 2020.

The summit, which ends on 9 December, is aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions enough to keep any rise in global average temperature to below two degrees Celsius to prevent catastrophic climate change later this century.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Sunday declared war on rich nations reluctant to commit themselves to reducing dangerous carbon emissions, saying those that planned to ignore and refuse to abide by the resolutions of the COP17 should remember that God gave Earth to his people.

'For your own sake, come on the right side and do the right thing to reduce emissions,' Tutu said.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace has warned that Africa is already bearing grave ecological and social injustices due to the impacts of climate change.

It said that South Africa, as the continent's highest emitter of carbon dioxide and the host country of COP17 must show climate leadership to help reach a meaningful outcome over the next two weeks in Durban.

Greenpeace said: 'Africa is already bearing the brunt of the climate gone awry, but that does not seem to be enough to spur some countries to action, like the US. The US needs to step up now and help the world beat climate chaos.'

'The talks in Durban need to be a new dawn for global climate change negations. One in which the interests of people everywhere are put before those of the polluters' said Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International Executive Director.

Pana 28/11/2011