(Originally aired on NPR’s Morning Edition on Aug. 31, 2015)
It seems to be part of human nature to want to belong to a group. People constantly form groups, in all kinds of situations, and high-stakes negotiations on climate change are no exception. Ever heard of the Umbrella Group? Or the Like-Minded Developing Countries? How about the Group of 77? (Here’s a hint — it doesn’t actually have 77 countries.)
Delegates from nearly 200 countries are meeting in Bonn, Germany, this week to resume negotiations on a new global agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions — it’s part of the run-up to a major summit in Paris later this year. And the countries negotiate in groups, some of which are a little puzzling.
Listen to the full audio report below.
