France, Nov. 11 -- Governments are gathering in Azerbaijan on Monday for talks on the climate that will test wealthy nations' commitment to funding poorer ones bearing the brunt of global warming. But concerns over Baku's human rights record and deep ties to fossil fuels have cast a heavy shadow over the UN's crucial "finance Cop".

Cop29 is taking place as 2024 is expected to be declared the hottest year ever recorded.

The two-week event faces major challenges: Azerbaijan has announced plans to expand gas production, local activists have been jailed in a pre-summit crackdown, and nations remain sharply divided over who should pay the trillions needed to tackle climate impacts.

What's undisputed, however, is that emissions are not being...