London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2025

UN Chief Urges Nations To Stop 'Blame Games' At Climate Summit

UN Chief Urges Nations To Stop 'Blame Games' At Climate Summit

Guterres made his plea as nations were deadlocked over the contentious issue of creating a "loss and damage" fund, with one day left before the COP27 conference is scheduled to end.
UN chief Antonio Guterres urged rich and developing nations to stop the "finger pointing" at crunch climate talks on Thursday and reach a deal on covering the losses suffered by vulnerable nations battered by weather disasters.

With the two-week COP27 conference officially due to wrap up on Friday, negotiators in Egypt said the talks would likely go on overnight as they scramble to find a compromise over the contentious "loss and damage" issue.

Guterres said there was "clearly a breakdown in trust" between developed and emerging economies, adding that the most effective way to build confidence would be to find an "ambitious and credible agreement" on loss and damage and financial support for vulnerable countries.

"This is no time for finger pointing. The blame game is a recipe for mutually assured destruction," he said.

"The time for talking on loss and damage finance is over -- we need action," he said, after flying back to Egypt from Bali where he had attended a G20 leaders meeting.

The intervention from the UN chief comes as the climate talks teeter on the edge of failure as poorer countries least responsible for global emissions lock horns with rich polluters over the creation of a "loss and damage" fund.

Ralph Regenvanu, minister of climate change for the Pacific island of Vanuatu, said walking out of the talks "was discussed as an option" if developing nations come away empty handed.

"We are out of time and we are out of money and we are out of patience," he said at a news conference.

"We must establish at this COP27 a loss and damage finance facility."

A 130-nation group known as G77+China issued a proposal to create the fund at the COP27 and agree on the nitty-gritty details at the next UN talks in Dubai in 2023.

After dragging their feet over loss and damage, the United States and European Union somewhat softened their position by agreeing to discuss the issue at COP27.

European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said the EU was open to the creation of a funding facility but that it should be among a "mosaic" of options that include existing financial instruments.

"We will do everything to find consensus," he said, adding however that he expects "quite a long and difficult journey to the end of this process".

"If this COP fails we all lose and we have absolutely no time to lose," he told journalists.

Protests held within the conference compound have sought to keep up the pressure on delegates, with small but vocal crowds of demonstrators chanting: "What do we want? Climate justice!"

China's role

Timmermans took issue with the G77+China proposal as it limits the donor base for a fund to a list of two-dozen rich nations drawn up in 1992.

The top EU official has pointed out that some countries, notably China, would be left "off the hook" from contributing to the fund even though they have grown wealthier since 1992.

"I'm still hopeful that we can reach an agreement on this, but then I do ask of our partners to make sure that it's fair so that everybody who is in a position to contribute contributes," Timmermans said.

Pakistan's climate minister Sherry Rehman, whose country chairs the G77+China, said the group was still "seeking to find common ground even at this late hour".

Rehman suggested that concerns from rich countries about liability could be addressed.

"For countries worried or anxious about liabilities and judicial proceedings, I think we can work around all those anxieties," she said.

Rehman recalled that Pakistan was devastated by floods this year that cost the country $30 billion.

"Vulnerability should not become a death sentence," she said.

"We are the ground zero of climate change," she added. "We must convey a message of hope to all those people that have pinned their ambitions on this particular COP."

Make-or-break

Guterres called for progress across the board on the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to preindustrial levels.

Rich nations should also finally deliver on their unmet pledge to provide $100 billion a year since 2020 to help the developing world green their economies and adapt to future impacts, and make progress on future financing.

Observers at the talks said loss and damage could be make-or-break for COP27.

"This is the issue around which the entire (COP)27 package hinges," said Tom Evans, an expert on climate diplomacy at think tank E3G.

Laurence Tubiana, a main architect of the 2015 Paris Agreement as France's top negotiator, told AFP a "possible landing zone for a compromise is not yet in view."

"Things could really go off the rails at the end."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
×