Climate talks in Cancun are moving forward very slowly, but in the right direction. That’s in a nutshell what facilitators reported at the informal stock-taking meeting convened by COP16 president Patricia Espinosa. The informal reporting ended at 10 pm and delegates resumed negotiations immediately after. Most negotiators expressed a “qualified optimism” about the possibilities of reaching a good result.

There is a slim chance that a game breaker would suddenly emerge out of these 11 days of intense informal negotiations. But chances are higher that they’ll move a few steps forward in the right direction, although failing to deliver a comprehensive deal.

Conflicting interests permeate all aspects of what is under negotiation in Cancun. The tougher issues can only be solved politically.