The countries that bear the brunt of climate change are also the ones who have done the least to cause it. And they've had enough. Developing countries are calling on rich, energy-intensive nations to start ponying up hundreds of billions of dollars for the disproportionate damage they've caused across borders. This economic model of "loss and damage," as the United Nations refers to it, is expected to take center stage at next month's round of international climate talks in Egypt, writes POLITICO's E&E News reporter Sara Schonhardt . Such climate reparations have been part of the U.N. climate agenda for years, but opposition from the United States and other powerful countries has nipped any serious negotiations in the bud. Not to mention the difficulty of getting the U.S. Congress to approve such large amounts of funding for foreign nations. But pressure is mounting on wealthy countries to pay up as the impacts of climate change become more severe — from devastating floods to deadly wildfires — and frustration at the lack of action builds. The world's top 10 climate polluters — led by China, the United States and the European Union — contribute two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions. Reality check : Even if President Joe Biden said, "Great, let's do this," any formal proposal to spend billions from the U.S. treasury on overseas climate reparations would require Congress' blessing. Republicans are expected to gain control of at least one chamber, if not both, in the midterm elections, and, barring some kind of "Freaky Friday" moment, climate reparations are unlikely to draw GOP support. While administration officials say they're willing to discuss payments to poor countries for irreparable climate damages, they have largely focused on reducing global carbon emissions. Still, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry on Tuesday insisted the country is open to finding a middle ground, telling reporters: "We will not be, you know, obstructing." Developing countries argue that the U.N. process must include a distinct financing mechanism for loss and damage if it's serious about addressing climate harms. Some countries have made modest reparations pledges. Scotland and Denmark have committed around $15 million between them to tackle loss and damage at a global level, and finance ministers from the world's most climate-vulnerable countries agreed to work with Germany and other wealthy nations to set up a finance and insurance mechanism to address climate risk.
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