Confusion, finger-pointing, opposing views at Egypt’s COP27

A day before UN climate talks were supposed to wrap up, negotiators appeared to be far apart on all the major issues being discussed.

Will countries get behind a proposal to phase down all fossil fuels? Will the demands of developing nations that rich countries compensate them for climate impacts be part of a final deal? What about calls to lower interest rates and overhaul how world financing works so that developing nations can invest in green energies?

The resounding answer to all of these questions appeared to be “no” for most of Thursday, at least if one carefully parses rhetoric and readouts from closed-door meetings. That was not to say that a significant deal couldn’t be reached, however. There would be another round of talks on Friday with extensions into the weekend a possibility.

A look at where thing stand late Thursday.

Negotiators from countries that support the idea,