Current:Home > reviewsUN Launches Climate Financing Group to Disburse Billions to World’s Poor -消息
UN Launches Climate Financing Group to Disburse Billions to World’s Poor
View
Date:2025-04-13 08:28:09
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon announced plans today to create a powerful new climate change entity that will help mobilize billions of dollars to help the poorest nations battle climate change.
In December, wealthy countries agreed to provide $30 billion in "fast-start" financing from 2010 to 2012 as part of the Copenhagen Accord, struck in the eleventh hour of the Denmark talks. They also agreed to a goal of ramping up that sum to $100 billion by 2020.
So far, none of the fast cash has been disbursed and country-level pledges remain vague.
The new Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing, headed by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, will have 10 months to recommend new sources of finance, along with a mechanism to guide the handouts.
The effort could win poor countries’ trust in the run-up to global climate talks scheduled for December in Mexico.
"The advisory group’s work will help build momentum towards a successful negotiation of a comprehensive climate change agreement," Ban said.
The climate group will have equal representation from rich and poor countries. Other heads of state named to the group are Guyana President Sam Hinds and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Members will also include high-level officials from central banks and experts on public finance and development, the UN said.
The UN is "assembling the best experts from every part of the world," said Brown.
Zenawi said he is "optimistic" that the work of the advisory group "will make it possible for the developing world to join the developed world in Mexico for a final and binding treaty on climate change," assuming "the promises made on finance will be kept."
For most poor nations, the Denmark summit was a flop. It ended in a barebones voluntary accord with no overall emission targets and no legal power.
In lieu of the low-ambition result, "finance has become the crucial element of the Copenhagen Accord," Zenawi told reporters.
With billions being dangled in front of developing nations, around 50 poor states have agreed to formally associate with the accord, but that does not imply trust in the UN process.
"Even those who have welcomed the accord and its provisions on finance have nevertheless expressed a high degree of skepticism about the practicality of these provisions," Zenawi said.
"Such deeply felt skepticism is perhaps understandable given the many promises of financial assistance to the developed world that have not been kept."
Vague Cash Commitments
One main task of the advisory group is to raise resources in such a way "as not to put unnecessary pressure on the already overstretched budgets of the developed countries," Zenawi said. We will not "put undue pressure on the rich."
Currently, pledges coming from the world’s wealthiest states fall short of the accord goals, and some contain stringent conditions.
For example, Japan has pledged to add $15 billion over three years to the $30 billion pot of short-term funding, with a catch: Negotiators must first agree to a new climate treaty.
The European Union has said it will contribute roughly one-third of the total sum. Zenawi showered praise on the UK and the EU for "giving clear assurances" that they would pay their fair share of the money on time.
However, environmental groups have accused Europe of plucking that climate aid from previous development budgets and calling it new funding.
The Obama administration has said it supports the long-term target of providing $100 billion by 2020. On fast-start financing, the U.S. has so far committed $1 billion to fund efforts to stop forest loss in developing nations, part of a $3.5 billion plan hashed out with Australia, France, Japan, Norway and Britain.
Brown urged the U.S. to pony up billions more, saying the investment would deliver America and the world a "huge benefit."
"The technologies in countries like the United States can be leading technologies in developing a new way of resolving the problems of climate change," he said.
When asked if China, which is considered a developing country under UN criteria, would receive any of the funding, Brown said Beijing "does not expect to be one of the countries that benefits."
Zenawi said "China will not want a dime of it." The Ethiopian leader also said he had received "assurances" from India that it expects most of the money, particularly funds derived from public sources, to be focused on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable economies.
See also:
Conference of Parties ‘Takes Note Of’ Copenhagen Accord
Todd Stern: Next Few Weeks Critical for Copenhagen Accord
‘BASIC Bloc Latest Countries to Brush Off Copenhagen Accord
Adapting and Mitigating Climate Change: A Deeply Nuanced Approach
Nations Threatened by Climate Change Call on Developed World to Give 1.5% of GDP
veryGood! (1)
Related
- Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
- 'Howdy Doody': Video shows Nebraska man driving with huge bull in passenger seat
- Businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed, Father of Princess Diana's Partner Dodi Fayed, Dead at 94
- NASA said its orbiter likely found the crash site of Russia's failed Luna-25 moon mission
- Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
- Frigidaire gas stoves recalled because cooktop knobs may cause risk of gas leak, fires
- Disney, Spectrum dispute blacks out more than a dozen channels: What we know
- Trump's trial in Georgia will be televised, student loan payments resume: 5 Things podcast
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- LED lights are erasing our view of the stars — and it's getting worse
Ranking
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Puerto Rico and the 2024 Republican presidential primaries
- Consumers accuse Burger King and other major restaurant chains of false advertising
- Are Target, Costco, Walmart open on Labor Day? Store hours for Home Depot, TJ Maxx, more
- Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
- Russia attacks a Ukrainian port before key grain deal talks between Putin and Turkey’s president
- ACC votes to expand to 18 schools, adding Stanford, California, SMU
- As Africa opens a climate summit, poor weather forecasting keeps the continent underprepared
Recommendation
Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
Gun and drug charges filed against Myon Burrell, sent to prison for life as teen but freed in 2020
Burning Man attendees advised to conserve food and water after rains
Rumer Willis Breastfeeds Daughter Louetta at the Beach After Being Mom-Shamed
Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
White teen charged with attempted murder after allegedly trying to drown Black youth
David and Victoria Beckham Honor Son Romeo's Generous Soul in 21st Birthday Tributes
'Do you believe now?' Deion Sanders calls out doubters after Colorado stuns No. 16 TCU