South Africa plays host to the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that will be held in Durban from November 28 to December 9, 2011.

With slow progress having been achieved at previous meetings, expectations are high for the talks to usher in a just, equitable and binding international agreement to deal, decisively, with the threat of global climate change.

With this dossier the Heinrich Böll Foundation aims to provide the reader with analysis of the major issues at stake and the context in which the negotiations will be held.

The dossier also aims to provide ongoing commentary and updates on major developments in the run up to the negotiations.