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November 27, 2012

Report: Wealthy Nations Falling Short on Climate Change Aid Pledge 
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As the United Nations climate summit gets underway in Qatar this week, a
new study has found wealthy nations, including the United States, have
fallen short on vows to give billions in aid to poorer countries in
order to help them fight climate change. While $30 billion in new aid
was pledged over a two year period ending this year, Monday's report by
the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development
found less than $24 billion had been committed, most of it in loans that
would have to be repaid. The climate talks come on the heels of a United
Nations report that found the concentration of greenhouse gases has
jumped 20 percent since 2000. During a news conference Monday, European
Union negotiator Artur Runge-Metzger said Europe would be willing to
ramp up its efforts to curb emissions if other countries would follow
suit.

Artur Runge-Metzger: "We are ready to step up our ambition from 20 to 30
percent if other major economy would also move up to the higher end of
their pledges. This offer is still on the table and it will stay on the
table even after Doha. But in terms of making the international
commitment of 30 percent, that requires a conversation with our partners
around the world, in particular with the major economies. The United
States already clearly says that it cannot move we don't think there
would be any productive discussion on upping individual countries'
targets in Doha."

 

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