Loss and damage: Fight over human harm, huge climate costs

By SETH BORENSTEIN
AP Science Writer

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — An issue called loss and damage will likely dominate difficult climate talks in Egypt this month. It’s about paying for big climate disasters. These disasters are getting bigger and hurting more people. It’s about who pays. It’s about justice, blame and responsibility. Often lost is the fact is it’s about people. The fight that splits rich and poor nations also involves people who have lost everything or nearly everything in places like Pakistan, Kenya, India and Cuba. The United States is willing to talk about the issue as long as liability is not part of it. For others it’s simply the issue of making polluters pay.