On Friday, massive protests and chants rang inside the Spodek arena in this southern Polish city, where the UN climate talks had been limping toward its confusing end. Aaron Pedrosa of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development said governments, particularly from rich countries historically responsible for global warming, had “gotten away with murder” for the past 24 years, from when the UN climate talks began. Finance remained a sticky point for all negotiating groups, as they iron out the specifics on how to deliver and report financial assistance that should be provided by rich countries to developing nations. The talks are expected to spill over the weekend as countries try to find a common ground on key issues. Civil society groups, meanwhile, raised alarm over the draft “Katowice text” that was released by the COP presidency at 3 a.m. on Friday.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 14, 2018 16:30 UTC