Durban Climate blog - Day 5,

International talks to save the world’s climate seemed to move up a gear today. More draft texts began to appear on a variety of key issues allowing the many observers present to begin to better understand where the negotiations have got to.

Sadly, the answer is - not very far it would seem.

The battle to save a series of measures such as the Green Climate Fund - a fund that would channel 100 billion dollars a year to helping poorer countries fight global warming and its impacts - will now have to continue on Saturday. After a year of pre-talks the Fund really should have been a ‘slam dunk’ here in Durban. However, some countries have either dropped the ball on this or there is some serious feigning of injury by others who don’t really want to see progress and are simply stalling in an attempt run out the clock.

The Fund was one of the key themes of the European Union press conference today. Its chief negotiators said the EU had already put aside the money and wanted to see the scheme up and running as fast as possible. Sure, they acknowledged there were some wrinkles, but they also said they believed these could be ironed out. The priority they said was to ensure that the green light to establish the Fund was given at these talks. The longer the delay the worse the consequences for us all, they warned.

Up until now the EU has always been considered a leader on climate. However, many here want them to up their ambition on the scale of their emissions reductions. They responded by saying “even if Europe were to shutdown this Saturday it wouldn’t be enough to save the climate” and that “we need others on board.” They have a point, but the reality is that the EU are well on track to meet their pledges under the Kyoto Protocol so raising their ambition would not be that difficult and would send out signals that could help unblock things here.

Meanwhile, quietly stalking the corridors of this conference is another story about the outcome next week of a legislative debate in Brazil on that country’s landmark Forest Code law. Big changes to the law are under final consideration by lawmakers in that country and will almost certainly have an impact on what happens here in Durban. If passed, the changes would mean that Brazil will not meet its international climate change reduction commitments.

Worse still, they could jeopardize the UN’s entire Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest degradation (REDD+) mechanism and with it global carbon emission reduction efforts.

The important point it reveals is that the fate of the world’s climate will not and cannot be decided solely at international gatherings like this. It’s the actions that do or don’t happen back home in each and every country that counts. That’s why Scotland’s world-leading climate change targets and 100% renewable electricity target matter so much. It’s why I looking forward to the arrival here soon of Scotland’s Minister for Environment and Climate, Stewart Stevenson.

• Lang Banks works for WWF Scotland and is representing the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition while in Durban