BRUSSELSDUBAI, Nov 30 Reuters Countries at the U.N.39;s COP28 climate summit opening on Thursday hope to clinch an early deal on a new fund to pay for climatecaused damage, aiming to muster some political goodwill before talks turn to divisive topics including the future of fossil fuels.

As the 70,000 delegates expected to attend COP28 descend on the gleaming Emirati city of Dubai, governments are preparing for marathon negotiations on whether to agree, for the first time, to phase out the world39;s use of CO2emitting coal, oil and gas.

The burning of these fuels is the main cause of climate change.

With finance also high on the meeting agenda, the United Arab Emirates39; COP28 presidency published a proposal on the eve of the summit, for countries to adopt a new U.N. climate damage fund raising hopes among some delegates that this could be among the first deals struck in Dubai.

The draft deal, which representatives from developed and developing countries painstakingly crafted during monthslong negotiations this year, would launch a fund to help vulnerable nations cope with the cost of climatedriven damage from drought, floods and rising seas.

Some diplomats said they were hopeful it would pass without objections. Opening these negotiations is like opening Pandora39;s box. And that wouldn39;t be useful for anyone, one said.

Establishing the fund would pave the way for wealthy countries to put money into it with leaders from nations including Germany, Denmark and…