The United States has sent its climate change envoy to former foe Cuba and Latin American giant Brazil ahead of the global environment summit that begins next month in Paris.

The State Department said that Todd Stern had left for Brazil and Cuba on Sunday to prepare the ground for talks on a global climate pact. His trip is due to wrap up on Thursday.

Brazil and the United States have been working together on climate change issues, and Presidents Barack Obama and Dilma Rousseff launched a joint working group in June.

But Havana and Washington only restored full diplomatic relations in July after a five-decade Cold War stand-off, so Stern will be breaking new ground in his meeting.

The State Department said Tuesday he was seeking an "opportunity to promote mutual understanding with Cuban officials on climate change" ahead of the Paris summit.

Earlier, France had confirmed that 80 world leaders -- including Obama, China's Xi Jinping and India's Narendra Modi -- will be in Paris from November 30 for the summit.
Source: AFP