Should rich countries pay for climate damage in poor ones?

The annual un climate talks are sometimes compared to a circus, or a battleground. This year’s summit, held at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, and known in the jargon as COP27, was an appropriate mix of comedy and rancour. Problems with the catering left many delegates scrounging for sandwiches and bananas in between meetings and group calls. John Kerry, America’s chief negotiator, was stricken with covid-19 and was forced to negotiate from the isolation of his hotel room.