The EU proposed at previous climate talks that the UN should hold a meeting before the Paris climate summit at the end of next month to determine the size of what's known as the "emissions gap" - the shortfall between actions governments have promised and actions scientists say are needed. China blocked that proposal, nervous of being asked to improve on its long-term climate plan, which it already considers more than adequate. So the EU has taken the initiative to host the Rabat gathering in conjunction with the hosts of next year's UN climate talks, Morocco.