BERLIN -- Officials from around the globe begin three weeks of grueling climate talks Monday that will involve grappling with a number of thorny political issues without the benefit of face-to-face meetings, due to pandemic restrictions. “This is not ideal at all,” said Marianne Karlsen, who chairs one of the two international bodies holding talks. Progress on all of those issues is seen as key to making the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow in November a success. However, due to concerns about the format, no official decisions are expected at the virtual talks that run until June 17. But former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is President Joe Biden's special envoy on climate change, has said he expects the Glasgow summit to go ahead.

Source: ABC News May 31, 2021 11:03 UTC