They are expecting that the high-level ministerial round may throw up a pleasant surprise, where developed countries would finally pledge a sum —$20-$30 billion annually — for assisting poor nations towards their adaptation and mitigation efforts. Ministers from various countries start arriving here from Wednesday.

The United States' stand to link assistance to market-based mechanism, where it wants private players must play a key role without depending on public funding, continues to dominate the space, but inclination of other developed countries — largely from Europe — to provide aid is fuelling the hope.

Indian negotiators got a hint that some of the developed countries may try to impress upon the US so that the talks would not send a negative signal before the crucial climate pact that is slated to be finalized in Paris in 2015. "There have been discussions on enhanced action in the field of adaptation, mitigation, finance and technology transfer during structured dialogue. But in terms of action, we have not seen much coming further. We have not seen much movement on the implementations of the earlier decisions," said an Indian negotiator here.

He rued that though the participants gathered here to work on implementing the Kyoto Protocol, there is no timeline on this.

There is a growing belief that the developed nations may not be inclined towards a breakdown of talks.

The pledge for $100 billion per annum beginning 2020 — meant for reduction of future emissions by developing countries — has caused heartburns among the rich nations who want a market-based mechanism that advocates private players to take the lead without government's direct role.

Participants from developing countries, however, believe that the instead of settling for $100 billion annual fund, developed countries like the UK, France, Canada, Japan and Germany may commit $20-$30 billion for the next couple of years.

"There has to be some kind of roadmap for that... So we are looking for all these decisions when the ministerial rounds start," said the Indian negotiator.

He said developing countries would also like to be clear about how private investment work. "Is it some decision which private companies take on the basis of their own calculation, or on their own metrics of profits? How does it come to play and when does it come to play? What would be the size, what would happen if markets turn choppy? There is no clarity on private investment," he added.

Articulating developing countries' skepticism towards market-based mechanism, the official asked, "Is it just a diversionary tactics to put the discussion away from public funding?"

According to the principles of convention, it is public funding which has to address the climate change.

Addressing a press conference, the executive-secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Christiana Figueres, however, said, "This is not a pledging moment for the Green Climate Fund."

"Let's wait for the ministerial round to begin. We hope that the rich nations won't derail the process which will have adverse impact on the final climate deal which is to come up in Paris," said the negotiator.

The hope and despair come at a time when G77+China group is learnt to have threatened to walk out of the Warsaw negotiations if the developed countries did not stop blocking the key issue of loss and damage where the rich nations have to provide financial assistance to poor countries for the losses caused to them by the emissions from rich nations during the industrialization phase.

The Group has submitted a collective proposal on the negotiating table to set up a separate new mechanism of loss and damage. But, the US has blocked it.

Reacting over this contentious issue, the Indian negotiator said, "We have not been able to see any mechanism being put in place, which was decided during the last climate conference in 2012."

He added, "We (developing countries) have said that even if you don't create a new structure, create a window under Green Climate Fund for loss and damage".