A stand-off over how many billions of dollars wealthy countries should stump up to help poorer nations cope with climate change over the next three years is prompting concern that fresh UN climate talks may be headed?for collapse, writes Pilita Clark in Doha.
The talks in the Qatari capital of Doha are entering their final five days. But they are at risk of collapse, according to some negotiators, unless developed countries formally agree to pledge as much as $60bn in fresh funding by 2015.
If the negotiators fail to agree in Doha, some say it could unravel the fragile accord wrung out at last year’s UN talks in Durban, South Africa, to finalise a new global climate pact by 2015 that would enter force by 2020.