Ambitious or not, Paris must deliver climate deal

WE need a climate deal out of Paris this year, perfect or not. Heads of state must sign it in December at the United Nations-sponsored meeting.

But progress has been slow. Recently in Bonn, negotiators shrunk just five out of an 89-page draft text, finally leaving it to UN co-chairs of the talks to produce a manageable version in a month. The possibility of further changes underscores the complexity of a deal 195 nations must approve. France, the host, wants a tentative agreement drawn up by October to avoid last-minute hiccups.

It's ironic that nations must still plod through an issue, which scientists say imperils human existence, even after eight years' toil. The process started in Bali, collapsed in Copenhagen, and was renewed in Durban with Paris as its destination. Forest protection is the only clear outcome so far.