Brussels, 24/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission initiative to set up a “world alliance against climate change between the EU and poor developing that are most affected” won the support of the European Parliament, but MEPs believe that the funding envisaged for this instrument to assist adaptation to global warming is cruelly insufficient. In Strasbourg on 21 October, the Parliament adopted the own initiative report by Anders Wijkmann (EPP-ED, Sweden). It felt that €60 million for the period from 2008 to 2010 was not nearly enough given the size of the challenge. They called on the Commission, therefore, to set a long-term funding objective of at least €2 billion per year until 2010 (and €5-10 billion per year until 2020) and to urgently propose measures to increase European financial aid for tackling climate change and for development. In the opinion of the Parliament, this increase in the long-term funding needed to tackle climate change would not place too great a burden on the resources of the European Development Fund (EDF). To tackle this problem seriously, Parliament said that new means of funding had to be opened up, through different budget lines and new sources of finance: humanitarian funds to respond to disasters caused by climate change, Common Foreign and Security Policy funds, the stability instrument, other external funds if necessary, and also eco taxes, public-private partnerships and other innovative mechanisms.
In the short term, the report calls on the Commission to increase the immediate funding for the alliance, if necessary drawing from the ENRTP (environment and sustainable management of natural resources, including energy), and the 10th EDF. This would be possible since the money would be used exclusively to fund action compatible with development aid and not to the detriment of other important objectives, such as education, health, gender equality and access to water. The Parliament pointed out that adaptation to the effects of climate change needed additional financial resources from funds other than public aid for development, and this would require innovative financial mechanisms to be put in place.
The report called on the European Commission and member states to agree to devote at least 25% of the income from the auction of allowances from the revised emissions trading scheme to the alliance and other adaptation measures in developing countries, particularly for the protection of forests and reducing emissions resulting from deforestation.
The Parliament also called on the Commission to review its proposal on biofuel sustainability criteria, setting stiffer requirements with regard to advantages for climate and ecosystems, and taking account of indirect changes of soil use and the consequences on the development of local communities. (A.N./transl.rt)