The Buzz | Splits deepen as UN climate talks near crunch time

Splits are deepening at the U.N. climate talks between rich and poor countries, oil exporters and vulnerable island nations, and those governments prepared for radical action on climate change versus those who want to wait and see.

As the meeting in Katowice, Poland, reached its fifth day, negotiators were divided over whether to expect a strong final agreement next week.

Amjad Abdulla, chief negotiating chair for the Alliance of Small Island States, said it was “depressing” that some rich countries are seeking similar leeway as developing nations when it comes to reporting emissions and efforts to curb them.

Diplomats and observers say a key fight in the coming days will be over whether to mention ‘policy pathways’ proposed by scientists to keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.