As UN climate talks loom in Brazil, many would-be participants fear they can’t afford to attend

With less than two months until this year’s United Nations climate change conference, many prospective attendees are still looking for housing in the small Brazilian host city of Belem. Costs for lodging have soared, and only a little more than one-third of 196 participating countries have lined up where they’ll stay. Organizers say they’re confident all 196 countries will be in attendance, but the situation is forcing hard decisions for many groups including youth, activists and Indigenous community members. And that’s raised questions about how productive the talks will be if they are overshadowed by logistical nightmares including a big drop in attendance. By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press Banner image: Construction workers building infrastructure for the upcoming COP30 U.N. Climate