Climate talks have stalled in Luxembourg, with old and new member states at odds over who should pay for the effects of global warming in developing countries. On 20 October, the EU’s finance ministers, meeting ahead of an Environment Council on 21 October, were unable to come to a consensus after Poland led a contingent of eight other member states to shoot down attempts to put a figure on how much the EU should pay if an agreement is reached in UN talks in Copenhagen in December, and how this commitment should be shared out. Two compromises by the Swedish EU Presidency were thrown out. Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg said he was “disappointed” by the outcome, which he said demonstrated a “lack of commitment to have an agreement”. The matter will now pass to the European Council, on 29-30 October.