Impasse persists at UN climate summit as talks drag on beyond deadline

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Impasse persists at the UN climate summit as the talks dragged on beyond the official deadline.

Chile’s Environment Minister Carolina Schmidt, who is chairing the two-week talks in Madrid, urged officials from almost 200 countries to recognize the overall balance of the latest draft agreements.

She said we must show the outside world that we can deliver. She said it is a hard and difficult task but it’s worth it. Diplomats from rich nations, emerging giants and the world’s poorest countries – each for their own reasons – found fault in a draft agreement put forward by Chile.

The conference has become enmeshed in deep, technical arguments about a number of issues including the role of carbon markets and the financing of loss and damage caused by rising temperatures.

The United States, which is leaving the landmark Paris climate deal next year, was accused of acting as a spoiler on a number of issues vital to climate-vulnerable nations.

According to the UN, 84 countries have promised to enhance their national plans by the end of next year. Some 73 have said they will set a long-term target of net zero by the middle of the century.