Hillary brightens grim mood at climate talks
Friday, 18 December 2009
COPENHAGEN, Dec 17 (AFP): After two years of languishing in a diplomatic fog, the key issue of climate finance is at last taking shape in the final phase of the UN global warming talks in Copenhagen.
If -- a big if -- the figures are accepted, hundreds of billions of dollars could be heading towards poorer countries a decade or two from now, helping them switch to cleaner technology and shore up defences against worsening floods, drought, storms and rising seas.
Rich countries have coalesced around figures for short- and long-term financing and for encouraging countries with tropical forests to preserve these natural assets rather then fell them.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton slightly brightened a grim mood at the talks on Friday by announcing the United States would contribute towards a long-term fund worth 100 billion dollars a year by 2020.
But she tied the money to guarantees from China, India and Brazil -- without naming them -- for ambitious voluntary measures on curbing greenhouse-gas emissions that would be tied to tough scrutiny provisions.
The contribution would be "in the context of a strong accord in which all major economies stand behind meaningful mitigation actions and provide full transparency as to their implementation," Clinton told a press conference.
In such circumstances, "the United States is prepared to work with other countries toward a goal of jointly mobilising 100 billion dollars a year by 2020 to address the climate change needs," she said.
Aid groups hailed the announcement.
"The US delegation came to Copenhagen with no money and poor targets, and these talks have gone nowhere," said Ricken Patel, executive director of global campaign network Avaaz.org.
"Today, they've announced a decent commitment on money. If they move on targets as well, we could still see a breakthrough in Copenhagen."
The figure of 100 billion is aligned with figures for long-term funding sketched by the European Union, which has yet to announce what share it would pay.
"It's an important development and very welcome to have the United States on the same page as the UK and the EU in terms of long-term climate finance," a British spokesman said.
If -- a big if -- the figures are accepted, hundreds of billions of dollars could be heading towards poorer countries a decade or two from now, helping them switch to cleaner technology and shore up defences against worsening floods, drought, storms and rising seas.
Rich countries have coalesced around figures for short- and long-term financing and for encouraging countries with tropical forests to preserve these natural assets rather then fell them.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton slightly brightened a grim mood at the talks on Friday by announcing the United States would contribute towards a long-term fund worth 100 billion dollars a year by 2020.
But she tied the money to guarantees from China, India and Brazil -- without naming them -- for ambitious voluntary measures on curbing greenhouse-gas emissions that would be tied to tough scrutiny provisions.
The contribution would be "in the context of a strong accord in which all major economies stand behind meaningful mitigation actions and provide full transparency as to their implementation," Clinton told a press conference.
In such circumstances, "the United States is prepared to work with other countries toward a goal of jointly mobilising 100 billion dollars a year by 2020 to address the climate change needs," she said.
Aid groups hailed the announcement.
"The US delegation came to Copenhagen with no money and poor targets, and these talks have gone nowhere," said Ricken Patel, executive director of global campaign network Avaaz.org.
"Today, they've announced a decent commitment on money. If they move on targets as well, we could still see a breakthrough in Copenhagen."
The figure of 100 billion is aligned with figures for long-term funding sketched by the European Union, which has yet to announce what share it would pay.
"It's an important development and very welcome to have the United States on the same page as the UK and the EU in terms of long-term climate finance," a British spokesman said.