Dec 14, 2018 - Energy & Climate

High-stakes climate talks head for overtime

Ben Geman

The logo of the World Climate Summit. Photo: Monika Skolimowska/picture alliance via Getty Images

The UN climate conference is Poland is running into overtime as negotiators haggle over implementation plans for the 2015 Paris agreement. They're likely to extend into Saturday at least.

The latest: "Preparing for more lengthy debate, organizers extended the close of the meeting by two days, until Sunday. Some of the key issues at the talks remain unresolved, but European diplomats and campaigners expressed hope that an agreement was in sight," AP reports.

The intrigue: Sources tell AFP delegates were still "far apart on several issues — from adopting the latest environmental science to how future climate action is funded," they report.

And, the BBC reports: "One of the biggest challenges facing the talks is the sheer number of decisions that have been passed up to around 100 ministers from all over the world who have travelled here to Katowice."

AP's story says one tricky question facing negotiators is how to create an international market for carbon credits, while another is financing to help developing countries.

"Poor countries insist that they should get support not just to lower emissions and adapt to climate change, but also to make up for the damage already caused by global warming," AP notes.
Measures on tracking and verifying nations' progress on their emissions pledges are also a key part of the talks.

Pro tip: Carbon Brief's Simon Evans is tracking the details carefully on Twitter.

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High-stakes climate talks head for overtime

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