- China vows 'cooperation' over ship linked to severed Baltic Sea cables
- Australian tennis star Purcell provisionally suspended for doping
- Asian markets track Wall St rally as US inflation eases rate fears
- Luxury Western goods line Russian stores, three years into sanctions
- Wallace and Gromit return with comic warning about AI dystopia
- Philippine military says will acquire US Typhon missile system
- Afghan bread, the humble centrepiece of every meal
- Honda and Nissan expected to begin merger talks
- 'Draconian' Vietnam internet law heightens free speech fears
- Israeli women mobilise against ultra-Orthodox military exemptions
- Asian markets track Wall St rally as US inflation eases rate worries
- Tens of thousands protest in Serbian capital over fatal train station accident
- Trump vows to 'stop transgender lunacy' as a top priority
- Daniels throws five TDs as Commanders down Eagles, Lions and Vikings win
- 'Who's next?': Misinformation and online threats after US CEO slaying
- Only 12 trucks delivered food, water in North Gaza Governorate since October: Oxfam
- InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Announces Transaction in Own Shares - December 23
- Melrose Group Publicly Files Complaint to the Ontario Securities Commission
- Langers edge Tiger and son Charlie in PNC Championship playoff
- Explosive batsman Jacobs gets New Zealand call-up for Sri Lanka series
- Holders PSG edge through on penalties in French Cup
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin to talk gas deliveries
- Daniels throw five TDs as Commanders down Eagles
- Atalanta fight back to take top spot in Serie A, Roma hit five
- Mancini admits regrets over leaving Italy for Saudi Arabia
- Run machine Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin
- Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill 35
- 'Incredible' Liverpool must stay focused: Slot
- Maresca 'absolutely happy' as title-chasing Chelsea drop points in Everton draw
- Salah happy wherever career ends after inspiring Liverpool rout
- Three and easy as Dortmund move into Bundesliga top six
- Liverpool hit Spurs for six, Man Utd embarrassed by Bournemouth
- Netanyahu vows to act with 'force, determination' against Yemen's Huthis
- Mbappe back from 'bottom' as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- Ali hat-trick helps champions Ahly crush Belouizdad
- France kept on tenterhooks over new government
- Salah stars as rampant Liverpool hit Spurs for six
- Syria's new leader says all weapons to come under 'state control'
- 'Sonic 3' zips to top of N.America box office
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- Mbappe strikes as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- 'Nervous' Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
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- Troubled Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
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- France awaits fourth government of the year
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Trump stalks global climate talks as COP29 draws near
The prospect of Donald Trump returning as president is hanging over crucial UN-sponsored climate negotiations, with countries "holding back" their positions until they know who sits in the White House.
Veteran observers of climate diplomacy say uncertainty over the election outcome is stalking this November's COP29 summit, which starts just six days after voters decide between Trump and Kamala Harris.
The election lands awkwardly as governments try to build global consensus in coming months not just around climate but stronger protections for the environment and a treaty to address plastic pollution.
As president, Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris agreement on global warming -- Joe Biden later rejoined the accord -- and there are concerns over what his re-election might mean for climate action.
This year's negotiations hope to increase money for poorer countries to handle climate change, but some governments have not proposed a concrete dollar figure, wary of committing too soon.
"Everybody is holding back until they know who gets elected," said Mohamed Adow, a campaigner and head of research group Power Shift Africa.
This apparent wait-and-see approach has frustrated those seeking a new long-term commitment at COP29 from rich nations to pay the trillions of dollars needed for clean energy and climate adaptation in developing countries.
Ali Mohamed, chair of the African Group of Negotiators, accused developed countries of navel gazing and displaying "a lack of seriousness" at the bargaining table.
"The climate change situation really doesn't care about who is at the helm of the US, whether it is a Republican or a Democrat," he told AFP.
"Elections will come and go, but the problem is still there."
- Hedging bets -
The months of lead-up sessions to COP29, which is being hosted this year in Azerbaijan, have been painfully slow even by the plodding standards of global climate diplomacy, participants say.
With just two months to go, there still isn't an agreed definition of "climate finance" let alone how much should be paid, which countries should receive it and how, and who should be on the hook for it.
Wealthy donors historically obligated to pay, like the United States, European Union and Canada, have not put forward a figure, instead pushing for China and other big emerging economies to also chip in.
"Governments are holding back, and they're trying to hedge their bets. Many of them don't have a strong enough motive to move," said Tom Evans, policy advisor at E3G, a think tank.
The US election was "hanging over everyone, and it's hard to look past that sometimes".
Mohamed, who is Kenya's special climate envoy, described the latest round of discussions in Baku this month as "very disappointing".
"From the developed world, there's too much 'in-looking' and passing the buck," he said.
- Shaky ground -
Divisions between rich and poor countries over who should pay for the damaging costs of climate change have always been fraught.
But the EU's reluctance to talk numbers could be partly explained by anxiety over the US election, said Linda Kalcher, executive director of Strategic Perspectives, a European think tank.
Some developing countries are demanding north of $1 trillion annually, a 10-fold increase on existing pledges.
If elected, Trump could slash funding for the climate and Ukraine, leaving the EU –- which saw swings to the right in elections this year -- footing the bill.
"It's really a very shaky, and not necessarily fertile, political setting to talk about higher climate finance numbers, and I think especially the anticipation of the US election brings even bigger uncertainty," Kalcher told AFP.
"The moment they put a number in there, they will have higher pressure to actually stick to that number."
The United States has historically underpaid on climate finance and observers said a Trump victory would not stop a deal being reached.
But donors would nonetheless feel "pretty exposed" committing more cash if they couldn't count on Washington's support to pay its share and push China to do the same, Evans said.
"They (China) will not be under that pressure in a Trump scenario and similarly, other major emitters I think will feel a slight easing off of attention," he said.
Political leaders would be more pressed than usual at COP29 to make up for lost time, said Li Shuo, a Washington-based expert on climate diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute.
He told AFP any progress until then would be incremental, at best.
"The real decisions... will only start to emerge after the US election."
S.Gregor--AMWN