With less than two months until this year's United Nations climate change conference, many prospective attendees are still looking for housing in the small Brazilian host city of Belem.

Costs for lodging have soared, and only a little more than one-third of 196 participating countries have lined up where they'll stay.

"Even the government's own figures show that the number of countries confirmed so far is very low, not even reaching 80," suggests Márcio Astrini, who is the director of Climate Observatory, a network of environmental non-profit groups.

Organizers say they're confident all countries will be in attendance, but the situation is forcing hard decisions for many groups including youth, activists and Indigenous community members.

Especially activists and poorer nations are feeling the crunch as hotel prices have skyrocketed and even private homes, love motels and other makeshift accommodation options are charging a minimum of several hundred dollars a night.

Pooja Tilvawala, who lives in London, used more than $46,000 of her own savings to help young people get to the summit.

She spent hours working from afar to find lodging in Belem, negotiate prices and contracts and put down deposits, in order to create a housing portal specifically for young people who want to be part of the international conference.

Even though she might lose some of what she’s put down if not enough people sign up for the housing she’s secured, Tilvawala believes "it's been totally worth it”.

The Brazil government picked Belem because of its location in the Amazon and because it has problems growing cities face in the developing world.

It is aware that the costs could be a stumbling block, and has taken steps to address the problem.

The climate minister announced that 10 to 20 rooms would be available “at accessible prices” for vulnerable countries, and the government has also brought in two large cruise shops that can house as many as 6,000 people.

Still, some prospective attendees have raised questions about how productive the talks will be if they are overshadowed by logistical nightmares, including a big drop in attendance.

AP Video shot by Alan K. Guimarães, Teresa de Miguel, Tatiana Pollastri

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