Developing countries need at least $1 trillion per year by the end of the decade to cope with climate change, economists told U.N. talks in Baku, where early efforts to reach a finance deal risk being overshadowed by diplomatic disputes.

The US election victory of Donald Trump - a known climate sceptic - could also prove to be a distraction, and some important leaders are not attending. COP29 is the world's most important meeting on climate change. It is led by the UN, and the 2024 event, the 29th such gathering, runs from 11-22 November.

The U.N.'s out-of-date list of rich countries committed to spending more excludes China, a major carbon emitter and economic powerhouse.

Money is a central focus of the climate talks being held in Azerbaijan and the success of the summit is likely to be judged on that goal.

BAKU: Giving much needed talking points around nature and quality of new post-2025 climate finance here at UN climate conference (COP29), an Independent High-Level Expert Group on the issue on Thursday suggested that the negotiations should be focused on mobilising $1 trillion per year by 2030 in "external (public and private) finance from all