Europe vows climate finance leadership, urges other nations to join

The EU would take the lead in providing money for poor countries to fight global warming but all wealthy polluters had "a responsibility to contribute", the bloc's climate envoy said Monday.

The European Union is the biggest contributor of money to help developing countries cope with climate change but want major emerging economies like China to also chip in.

Nations are supposed to reach a new agreement at the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan to boost funding for climate action in poorer countries.

But the talks are deadlocked over who should pay, how much, and the structure of any new finance deal.

"We will continue to lead, to do our fair share, and even more than our fair share, as we've always done," EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told reporters in Baku.

But "with affluence comes responsibility", he added.

"Others have a responsibility to contribute based on their emissions and based on their economic growth."

Beijing has rejected suggestions it should contribute to the global pot to help the world's poorest countries adapt to climate change and wean off fossil fuels.

China pays climate finance on its own terms but is not obligated to contribute under the Paris agreement signed in 2015.

The Baku negotiations made little ground in the opening week and nations have been urged to pick up the pace in the second half.

Hoekstra called on COP29 hosts Azerbaijan "to lead and to steer us in the direction of a safe landing ground".

Azerbaijan lacks diplomatic experience at a time when COP observers say crucial leadership is needed to steer what some see as the most complex climate negotiations in years.