Global climate talks begin in Germany with Fiji at the helm

BONN, Germany (AP) — Diplomats and activists have gathered in Germany for two-week talks on implementing the Paris agreement to fight climate change.

Environmental groups staged protests in the western city of Bonn and at a nearby coal mine ahead of the meeting to highlight Germany’s continued use of heavily polluting fossil fuels.

The 23rd conference of the parties, or COP23, will be opened Monday by Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe ’Frank’ Bainimarama. The Pacific island nation is already suffering the impacts of global warming.

Negotiators will focus on thrashing out some of the technical details of the 2015 Paris accord, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

While President Donald Trump has expressed skepticism, a recent U.S. government report concluded there’s strong evidence that man-made climate change is taking place.