UN chief urges nations to ease divisions as climate talks face deadlock in Baku

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged countries to "soften hard lines" as climate talks at Cop29 in Baku face a critical deadlock. With one day remaining, divisions persist over climate finance and fossil fuel transition proposals. Guterres emphasized the need for a clear agreement on climate finance, highlighting a major split between demands for $1 trillion annually from rich nations and vague proposals for future payments. Concerns grow over potential backsliding from last year's landmark agreement. The UK and EU have intensified calls for adherence to the Cop28 agreement, which aims to phase out fossil fuels. Guterres warned that failure to reach a consensus could jeopardize global climate goals, particularly the 1.5C limit on warming.