Wealthy nations are sending tens of billions of dollars to poorer ones for clean energy, the linchpin of a global strategy to cut greenhouse-gas emissions in the developing world. But two of the most ambitious efforts yet—in South Africa and Indonesia—are now at risk of unraveling, sowing doubts about the rich world’s ability to push developing countries away from coal and other fossil fuels.

South Africa and Indonesia, among the world’s most coal-hungry economies, are backtracking on commitments they made to burn less of the fuel under agreements known as Just Energy Transition Partnerships, or JETPs, which offered them $28.5 billion from the U.S. and other wealthy nations. Officials are working to prevent the agreements from falling apart as governments convene in Dubai for COP28, the annual United Nations climate summit.

https://www.wsj.com/world/billions-in-u-s-funding-hasnt-convinced-developing-world-to-ditch-coal-f11ffa57?