Brussels, 10/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - With international climate talks going on in Bonn (1-12 June) with a view to the conclusion of a global agreement in Copenhagen in December, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are disappointed by the Ecofin Council conclusions on the funding of measures to tackle climate change. These conclusions, as expected, provided no figures for aid to developing countries (see previous article). “The inertia of EU finance minsters threatens to derail international negotiations,” warned CAN Europe (Climate Action Network Europe). The NGOs in the network are deeply unhappy that ministers chose to ignore the recommendations of their own experts who had called for funding of €100 billion per year until 2020 to help developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and that they gave no quantified commitment on the additional public funding required for adaptation in developing countries. The NGOs are happy, however, with the progress of the Ecofin Council towards consensus on how the burden of funding climate measures is to be shared internationally.
“The Copenhagen conference is just around the corner. The European Commission has said it itself: no money, no climate deal (Ed: in the words of Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas on 28 January 2009, see EUROPE 9828). Now it is up to heads of state, meeting next week, to put forward clear finance commitments. EU leaders must make the June summit count and agree to repay their carbon debt to developing countries,” said Matthias Duwe, Director of CAN Europe.
CAN Europe calls on the European Council of 18-19 June to agree on: - an adequate contribution of EU public financing, of the order of €35 billion per year, of action on climate in developing countries; - a robust mechanism, for example, one linked to the auction, levy or sale of emissions allowances, to raise predictable public funding under the auspices of the UN; - a guarantee that any funding will be new and additional to existing EU aid commitments.
The NGOs estimate that the contribution in public funding by industrialised countries should be €110 billion per year until 2020 to support measures to cut emissions in developing countries, with €40 billion per year needed immediately for adaptation to the already inevitable effects of climate change. (A.N./transl.rt)