Tue Nov 12 06:32:46 UTC 2024: ## Climate Talks Stalled as Developing Nations Push Back on EU’s Carbon Tax

**Baku, Azerbaijan** – The opening day of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, was delayed as a dispute erupted between developing and developed nations over the inclusion of unilateral trade measures on the agenda.

The central issue at the heart of the disagreement is the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a proposed tax on energy-intensive imports from countries like India and China. Developing nations argue that this tax is unfair and could damage their economies, while developed nations claim it is necessary to level the playing field and reduce emissions.

China, representing the BASIC group of countries (Brazil, South Africa, India, and China), formally requested that the COP address the issue of unilateral trade measures. This proposal reflects concerns about the broader impact of such policies on developing countries, particularly as they increasingly face restrictions on their green products in developed markets.

The debate over CBAM is just one aspect of a larger struggle over the focus of the COP29 negotiations. Developing nations, including India and China, are pushing for a primary focus on climate finance, arguing that developed nations have a responsibility to provide funding to help them adapt to and combat climate change. Conversely, developed nations are pushing for a broader discussion encompassing mitigation, transition away from fossil fuels, and other aspects of the global stocktake from COP28.

The delay in the formal opening of COP29 highlights the deep divisions that remain between developed and developing nations on key climate change issues. With time running out to agree on a new climate finance goal, the success of these negotiations will depend on finding common ground and achieving a balance between the competing priorities of different nations.

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