The likelihood of Boris Johnson being able to strike a far-reaching new global climate deal at the Cop26 meeting in Glasgow has been dealt a fresh blow by the collapse of a little-known climate finance agreement. 

Just recently, Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry announced that it was cancelling a decade-long agreement with Norway known as REDD, under which Indonesia would receive payments for reducing deforestation rates. 

According to Jakarta, Norway was delaying payments that were agreed by both parties after Indonesia posted its lowest deforestation rates on record. 

Norway’s obstinance – and Indonesia’s response – have profound implications for climate diplomacy and for the conference in Glasgow. Success depends on rich, Western countries (such as Norway) and poorer developing countries (such as Indonesia) finding common cause and striking a common deal together. That Norway now stands accused of breaking its climate promises will deepen suspicion amongst countries in the Global South that the West is big on climate talk, but not so big when action – or hard cash – is required.

When Indonesia and Norway signed their agreement in 2010, reducing emissions was a higher priority for wealthy countries; poor countries were simply more concerned with alleviating poverty and raising living standards. 

It was well understood that a ‘low carbon transition’ for poor and even middle income …