Documents that were leaked and seen by the BBC have reportedly revealed that a number of influential countries have been seeking to get a game-changing UN scientific report on combating the climate crisis toned down.

The development, reported in detail by the BBC and the Guardian, shows that Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia are among several nations that have been requesting the United Nations to “play down the need to move rapidly away from fossil fuels” in its upcoming report.

The revelation has cast a shadow on the COP26 climate talks that are scheduled to open in Glasgow on October 31, where the participating governments will be asked to present their respective targets aimed at cutting emissions in the long run.

According to the BBC report, the leak has disclosed that the governments of several rich countries have challenged the idea of paying more to poorer nations to help them switch to greener technologies.

Guardian, meanwhile, cited leaked papers seen by Greenpeace, reported that the nations that sought to water down the crucial UN report are ones that produce coal, oil, beef and animal feed.

G20 countries split ahead of key summit in Rome

The Group of 20 rich countries are divided over phasing out coal and committing to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius as they prepare for a crucial summit in Rome next week, sources familiar with the negotiations said.

The need to curb emissions will be high on the agenda of the Rome G20 gathering on October 30-31, seen as a key stepping stone immediately ahead of broader United Nations climate talks, called COP 26, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland.

So far, big polluters such as China and India have dug in their heels and little progress has been made since G20 energy and environment ministers met in Naples in July, said three sources, asking not to be named due to the sensitivity of the talks.

“Countries are not moving, at the moment they are still just making sure their positions are heard loud and clear,” said one of the sources.

EU parl seeks legal limits on methane emissions

The European Parliament asked the EU to legally require companies to fix methane leaks and impose binding targets on countries to cut emissions of the greenhouse gas, setting the scene for legislation Brussels will propose this year. Methane is the second-biggest cause of climate change and is emitted from sources including leaky fossil fuel infrastructure.