"Logjam for Paris Climate 'Rule Book' As End-2018 Deadline Looms"

"BONN, Germany - Governments made slow progress on a “rule book” for a global climate accord after two weeks of talks ending on Thursday and agreed to a new round of negotiations to break a diplomatic logjam before a year-end deadline for a deal.

Disputes among the senior climate officials from about 180 nations in Bonn included how rich nations will raise finance to a pledged $100 billion a year by 2020 to help developing nations cope with rising temperatures and cut their emissions.

“We can’t say failure. But overall we’ve been having slow progress,” Gebru Jember Endalew, chair of the group of least developed countries, told Reuters. Poor nations are most vulnerable to more droughts, floods and rising sea levels.

Delegates agreed to hold an extra session in Bangkok from September 3-8 before environment ministers meet in Katowice, Poland, in December when the rule book for the Paris pact is due to be agreed. "

Alister Doyle reports for Reuters May 10, 2018.