By Gloria Dickie and Kate Abnett

(Reuters) – Nearly 200 countries will gather next week for the United Nations climate summit, COP29. It can be difficult to reach consensus for an agreement among such a large number of people.

Here are some of the main players and negotiating blocs involved in the COP29 summit which begins on November 11 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

CHINA

China produces most of its energy from fossil fuels that contribute to global warming, as well as renewable energy sources. It accounts for about 30% of global annual carbon emissions, making China the largest greenhouse gas polluter.

However, the country’s emissions may have peaked following recent developments in renewable energy, according to the Helsinki-based Center for Energy and Clean Air Research.

Despite being the world’s second-largest economy after the United States, China retains the developing country designation in UN climate negotiations that began in the 1990s.

As such, he argues that the United States and other industrialized countries should move first and fastest on climate action. Beijing also rejects calls to contribute to climate finance for developing countries.

China will send a new climate change diplomat to COP29 as Liu Zhenmin, a former vice foreign minister, replaced longtime climate envoy Xie Zhenhua, who retired.

UNITED STATES

The second largest emitter in the world, and the first historic emitter, is arriving at COP29 following an election that will bring Donald Trump back to power in 2025.

US negotiators from the outgoing Biden administration, led by White House senior advisor John Podesta, will represent the country at COP29.

But Trump’s victory reduced the chances of reaching a strong agreement on a new global financial target, or an agreement to expand the number of countries that could contribute.

President-elect Trump has vowed to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement again and called efforts to boost green energy a “scam.”

Although the Biden administration has provided hundreds of billions of dollars for climate change mitigation and adaptation through the Inflation Reduction Act, the United States has continued to breaking records as the world’s largest oil and gas producer during his presidency.

EUROPEAN UNION

The EU, made up of 27 countries, has yet to express its position on some of the most controversial issues at COP29.

He has yet to say how large the new climate finance target should be, or how much of it should come directly from national budgets rather than multilateral lending institutions or private investment. However, he demanded that China and other fast-developing economies contribute.

The EU and its member states have so far contributed the most to global climate finance, having more than doubled their supply over the past decade. In 2023, the EU and its member states contributed €28.6 billion (US$30.8 billion) in climate finance from public sources.

UNITED KINGDOM

Britain’s Labor government, elected in July, plans to highlight its climate commitment at COP29, after Energy Minister Ed Miliband described Britain as being “back in the business of climate leadership” .

The country, which hosted the COP26 summit in Glasgow in 2021, has promised to submit its next set of emissions reduction commitments for 2035 at the Baku summit, three months ahead of its scheduled date in February.

Britain has also called for an ambitious financial target, but it is unclear how much contribution it could make with its debt-strained budget.

THE TROIKA

Calling themselves “the Troika,” the host countries of COP28, COP29 and COP30 said last year they were working together to ensure the continued hosting of the annual UN climate talks.

All three countries have economies that rely on fossil fuels. The COP28 UAE and COP30 Brazil are among the world’s 10 largest oil producers and COP29 Azerbaijan is a supporter of its natural gas industry.

“BASE” COUNTRY

As rapidly developing and populous countries, Brazil, South Africa, India and China can have a significant impact on the global capacity to combat climate change.

Each country has called for more climate finance through the concept of “common but differentiated responsibilities” – meaning that rich countries that have historically emitted the most emissions should do more to solve the problem.

OTHER TRADING BLOCKS:

G77 + CHINA – This alliance of 77 developing countries and China also affirms that rich countries have a greater responsibility in reducing CO2 emissions than poorer countries.

AFRICAN GROUP OF NEGOTIATORS

African countries will push at COP29 for more climate finance and for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on carbon market rules to come into force early next year.

They remain concerned about the stagnation of the loss and damage fund following this year’s floods in East Africa and deadly heatwaves in the Sahel.

African countries plan to challenge the decision to locate the fund’s technical assistance body in Geneva, objecting to the choice of the high-cost city over recommendations for Nairobi.

The fund’s headquarters will be in the Philippines, but the technical assistance body that provides support to countries facing damage from climate-driven natural disasters will be in Switzerland.

ALLIANCE OF SMALL ISLAND STATES

A powerful group of countries disproportionately affected by climate impacts including sea level rise, the AOSIS bloc is focused on securing billions of dollars in climate finance and advancing global efforts to phase out the use of fossil fuels.

LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES GROUP

The 45 countries in this group are also very vulnerable to climate change, but have contributed little to it. They request significant funding from developed countries, preferably in the form of grants. They also want more money to go into the loss and damage fund.

HIGH AMBITION COALITION

Chaired by France, Costa Rica and Britain, this group advocates for more aggressive emissions reduction targets and policies.

(Reporting by Gloria Dickie and William James in London, Valerie Volcovici in Washington, DC, David Stanway in Singapore and Kate Abnett in Brussels; editing by Katy Daigle and Barbara Lewis)