Time is running out for negotiating a binding, inclusive climate change treaty in Copenhagen, Denmark at the end of the year.

Whether to tweak, bolster or bury the Kyoto Protocol has become a red-hot issue as UN negotiators try to lay the groundwork for a successor treaty.

Efforts to convince rich nations to toughen emissions cuts have failed to make much headway at climate talks in Bangkok, the UN said on Friday.

Cabinet ran its climate change colours up the mast on Thursday, declaring SA would not agree to any targets at the UN climate change conference.

Failure to act quickly on climate change could eventually lead to violence and mass unrest as global weather patterns drastically change.