BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) 鈥� United Nations talks on getting money to curb and adapt to climate change resumed Monday with tempered hope that negotiators and ministers can work through disagreements and hammer out a deal .
That hope comes from the arrival of the climate and environment ministers from around the world this week in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the COP29 talks. They鈥檒l give their teams instructions on ways forward.
"We are in a difficult place,鈥� said Melanie Robinson, economics and finance program director of global climate at the World Resources Institute. 鈥淭he discussion has not yet moved to the political level 鈥� when it does I think ministers will do what they can to make a deal.鈥�
Talks in Baku are focused on getting more climate cash for developing countries to transition away from fossil fuels, adapt to climate change and pay for damages caused by extreme weather. But countries are far apart on how much money that will require. Several experts put the sum needed at around $1 trillion.
鈥淥ne trillion is going to look like a bargain five, 10 years from now,鈥� said Rachel Cleetus from the Union of Concerned Scientists, citing a multitude of costly recent extreme weather events from to hurricanes and in the United States. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to wonder why we didn鈥檛 take that and run with it.鈥�
Also on Monday, the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has been mulling a proposal to cut public spending for foreign fossil fuel projects. The OECD 鈥� made up of 38 member countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan and Germany 鈥� are discussing a deal that could prevent up to $40 billion worth of carbon-polluting projects.
At COP29, activists are protesting the U.S., South Korea, Japan, and Turkey who they say are the key holdouts preventing the agreement from being finalized.
鈥淚t鈥檚 of critical importance that President Biden comes out in support. We know it鈥檚 really important that he lands a deal that Trump cannot undo. This can be really important for Biden鈥檚 legacy," said Lauri van der Burg, Global Public Finance Lead at Oil Change international. 鈥淚f he comes around, this will help mount pressure on other laggards including Korea, Turkey and Japan.鈥�
Meanwhile, the world鈥檚 biggest decision makers are halfway around the world as another major summit convenes. Brazil is hosting the Group of 20 summit, which runs Nov. 18-19, bringing together many of the world's largest economies. Climate change 鈥� among other major topics like rising global tensions and poverty 鈥� will be on the agenda.
Harjeet Singh, global engagement director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said G20 nations 鈥渃annot turn their backs on the reality of their historical emissions and the responsibility that comes with it.鈥�
"They must commit to trillions in public finance," he said.
In a written statement on Friday, United Nations Climate Change's executive secretary Simon Stiell said 鈥渢he global climate crisis should be order of business Number One鈥� at the G20 meetings.
Stiell noted that progress on stopping more warming should happen both in and out of climate talks, calling the G20's role 鈥渕ission-critical.鈥�
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Associated Press journalist Ahmed Hatem in Baku contributed to this report.
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Sibi Arasu, Melina Walling And Seth Borenstein, The Associated Press
