Early fight over climate finance at COP31

ANTALYA, Turkey (AFP) — The United Nations’ climate talks were due to open Monday with countries under pressure to take action after a year of extreme weather calamities, but negotiators from rich and developing nations were tangled in an early fight over money.

The opening ceremony of COP31 in the Turkish Mediterranean city of Antalya was delayed by an hour without explanation.

Negotiators had been locked in discussions late Sunday over demands by developing nations to include items on climate finance in the official agenda.

“This has already been a difficult start for COP31,” said Jasper Inventor, head of Greenpeace’s COP31 delegation.

Under UN climate agreements, developed countries, which are historically responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions, have provided financial support to help developing nations adapt to climate impacts and transition to cleaner energy. But poorer countries say the sums remain insufficient.

Inventor said developed countries were “taking a hard line” over whether to include a platform, agreed at COP30 in Brazil last year, aimed at discussing how wealthy nations should provide funds to developing nations.

African countries are also pushing for the agenda to include discussions on the tripling of adaptation finance, which aims to help poorer nations pay for measures such as building sea walls or planting drought-resistant crops.

A senior European Union official warned last week that there would be “no political will” for extra funding pledges at COP31.

Observers say few major breakthroughs are expected at COP31 as countries grapple with an oil price shock and geopolitical tensions fueled by the US war with Iran and Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.