The United States backs addressing the loss and damage suffered by developing countries due to global warming at upcoming international climate negotiations, US climate envoy John Kerry said Wednesday.

The countries most vulnerable to climate change are also those that contribute the least to it, and they are demanding financial compensation specifically for what is known as loss and damage in Earth's climate crisis.

This issue is likely to be one of the hottest subjects of debate at UN climate talks known as COP27 opening November 6 in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

The 2015 Paris climate accord says signatories must try harder to address loss and damage, Kerry told a news conference.

"Now we have to go the next level and get engaged in a serious dialogue about how the world is going to deal with loss and damage," Kerry said.

"And we are prepared to discuss in Sharm el Sheikh fully all the ways in which we can try to be fair and gather the efforts of the world to help us address the concerns of a lot of countries in the world," Kerry said.

He added: "So we're very supportive of addressing loss and damage in the context of the process of the UN."

Although the issue is in fact mentioned in the Paris accord, rich countries that built their wealth on fossil fuels are reluctant to address it.

"I hope this will be the year where people all kind of get on the same page, recognizing that there are some special inequities, and they deserve some special attention," said Kerry.

He said Africa accounts for three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but 17 of the countries most at risk from climate change are located on the continent.

At the Egypt talks the United States will make announcements on helping Africa adapt to climate change, Kerry said.

Taiwan expects greater China pressure after Xi cements power: FM
Taipei (AFP) Oct 26, 2022 - Beijing will step up efforts to pick off Taiwan's last remaining allies after Xi Jinping secured a third term in power, as Chinese officials up the ante to show loyalty to the president, Taipei's foreign minister said Wednesday.

A major gathering of China's communist leaders at the weekend saw Xi cement his status as the country's most influential leader since Mao Zedong.

Beijing claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to take control of the island, by force if necessary.

It has spent decades encouraging Taiwan's diplomatic allies to break ties in favour of China.

"It is conceivable that our diplomatic situation will become grimmer," Taiwan's top diplomat Joseph Wu said Wednesday.

He anticipated China would step up pressure on the 14 countries that still maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan as a way for Chinese officials to "show loyalty" to Xi.

"We have seen some warnings in intelligence... We hope our diplomatic relations will not be influenced by China," Wu said at a parliamentary session.

"All of our embassies and missions are highly vigilant now... We will verify the intelligence and take advantageous measures to consolidate diplomatic relations."

Beijing has ramped up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taipei since the 2016 election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

Tsai on Wednesday offered her first public comments on China's Communist Party Congress that ended at the weekend, calling for unity in the face of "the expansion of Chinese authoritarianism".

"The more prepared we are, the less chance Beijing will advance rashly, while the more united we are, the stronger and safer Taiwan will be," she said at a meeting of her ruling party.

Tensions between Taiwan and China soared to their highest level for years in August after Beijing staged huge and unprecedented military drills to protest against a visit to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Beijing lashes out at any diplomatic action that might lend Taiwan international legitimacy and has responded with growing anger to visits by Western politicians.

When asked by a lawmaker if Beijing is speeding up its timeline for taking Taiwan, Wu said the military threat has been "rapidly growing" in recent years.

"Whether China decides it's next year, the year after next year, 2025, 2027, 2030 or whatever time they see the conditions as mature to attack Taiwan, the most important thing for us is to be well prepared to defend ourselves," he said.

Separately, Wu announced that Taiwan planned to donate US$56 million to Ukraine to help it rebuild schools, hospitals and infrastructure.

There has been an outpouring of public support for Ukraine in Taiwan since Russia's invasion, which has deepened fears that Beijing might similarly follow through on threats to annex the island.

"Ukraine stands as a role model for Taiwan," Wu said at a reception for visiting lawmakers from Ukraine and Lithuania.

"We both are fighting for freedom and democracy, and we know Ukraine is going to prevail. Ukraine is going to win. Glory to Ukraine and we will win with Ukraine."

The donation, pending parliament's approval, follows a public fundraising drive for Ukraine that collected nearly US$33 million in just four weeks earlier this year.

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Climate summit host Egypt renews invite to King Charles
Paris (AFP) Oct 25, 2022
Egypt on Tuesday renewed its invitation to King Charles III for next month's COP27 climate summit after the British monarch's plans to attend were reportedly quashed by ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss. "From our point of view in relation to his majesty King Charles, it's an open invitation," senior diplomat Mohamed Nasr said ahead of the 12-day UN meet in Sharm El-Sheik, which starts on November 6. "He has been a very strong advocate for climate action and a role model," Nasr told journalists in a ... read more