UN talks kick off to push forward with Paris accord

KATOWICE, POLAND— Negotiators from around the world began two weeks of talks on curbing climate change Sunday, three years after sealing a landmark deal in Paris that set a goal of keeping global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius.

Envoys from almost 200 nations gathered in Poland’s southern city of Katowice, a day earlier than originally planned, for the UN meeting that’s scheduled to run until Dec. 14.

Ministers and some heads of government are joining in Monday, when host Poland will push for a joint declaration to ensure a “just transition” for fossil fuel industries that face closures as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Over the weekend, 19 major economies at the G20 summit affirmed their commitment to the 2015 Paris climate accord; the only holdout was the U.S., which is pulling out of the pact.

The shift away from fossil fuels is expected to require a major overhaul of world economies.