UN climate negotiations wrapped up Thursday after three weeks of virtual talks that failed to make major headway on crucial disputes between nations ahead of a crunch summit in November.

The discussions, which were all informal, saw "good progress made" on a number of issues, UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa told journalists by videoconference.

But she added: "I cannot say there were any breakthroughs."

The talks were supposed to tackle a range of topics, including final elements of the "rulebook" to the 2015 Paris Agreement governing carbon markets and how financial contributions to the climate fight are reported.

The discussions were the first under the UN's watch since December 2019, and come amid growing public alarm at the climate emergency.

Sonam Wangdi, chair of the Least Developed Countries Group negotiating bloc, said the talks had made "slow progress".

"Current plans and pledges to cut emissions are extremely inadequate; far from enough to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C", the most ambitious Paris goal, Wangdi said.

Rich nations have yet to live up to their pledge to provide $100 billion (82 billion euros) a year to countries most at risk from the impact of climate change.

Last week G7 leaders recommitted to that goal, yet funding available for climate mitigation and adaptation remains significantly below the target.

Developing nations are desperate for funding to help them recover from the damage caused by extreme weather events made more likely by climate change, as well as to prepare their infrastructure for future shocks.

But Espinosa told AFP this week that the issue of finance was not discussed during the three-week talks.

Failure to advance on this and other issues meant that nations face a "daunting task" to finalise the rulebook of the Paris deal by the end of November's climate change summit, known as COP26, Wangdi said.

COP26 host Britain said Thursday it was organising a ministerial-level meeting with representatives from more than 40 countries at the end of July to get countries in better shape in time for the summit.

It was delayed from 2020 due to Covid-19 and Britain insists the meeting will go ahead in person.

But there are fears from developing nations that a lack of access to Covid-19 vaccines may end up costing their negotiations a seat at the table in Glasgow.

"Access to vaccines and testing facilities is still a challenge in island States, and the safety of our delegates is a priority," Ambassador Black-Layne of Antigua and Barbuda, lead negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), said Thursday.

Vatican gathers faith leaders ahead of UN climate talks
Vatican City (AFP) June 17, 2021 –

Some 40 representatives of different faiths will meet at the Vatican and in Rome in October to draft a joint appeal ahead of UN climate talks, it was announced Thursday.

Pope Francis is expected to join the meeting on October 4 — organised by COP26 host Britain, its event partner Italy and the Holy See — which will also include scientists.

Sally Axworthy, Britain's ambassador to the Holy See, said preview meetings held via videoconference over the last six months had exposed a "remarkable convergence of views".

"All the faiths and belief systems see nature as sacred, and our duty as being to protect the environment," she told a press conference.

The list of participants has not yet been unveiled but Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See's secretary for relations with states, said it was "highly likely" the pope will participate.

Axworthy added that "it was key to have representatives of most major faiths and denominations from every corner of the world".

The COP26 climate talks will be held in Glasgow between November 1 and 12.

The Vatican has already indicated that Pope Francis, who is outspoken about the need to act to stop global warming, will attend the Glasgow talks.