"Countries Still Far Apart On COP29 Finance Goal" [1]
"BRUSSELS - With less than three months until this year's COP29 UN climate negotiations, countries remain far from agreement on the summit's biggest task: to agree a new funding target to help developing countries cope with climate change.
A negotiations document published by the U.N. climate body on Thursday set out the splits between nations, ahead of a meeting in Baku next month, where negotiators will attempt to inch forward some of the stickiest issues.
The document suggests seven options, reflecting countries' competing positions, for a possible COP29 deal. The new target will replace wealthy nations' current commitment to provide $100 billion each year in climate finance to developing countries.
Vulnerable and developing countries want a far larger funding goal. Donor countries such as Canada and the 27-nation European Union say stretched national budgets mean a huge jump in public funding is unrealistic."