EU climate aid

New revelations that EU member states will fall short of their pledges on climate aid for developing countries have dogged the opening day of the first full UNFCCC negotiating session this year (1), which is taking place in Bonn. Commenting on the revelations, Dutch Green MEP Bas Eickhout said:

"Reports that the EU is trying to massage the figures to weasel out of its pledges on climate aid for developing countries are very worrying. The EU has made a clear pledge to provide €2.4 billion per year in new and additional funding as 'fast start' climate financing for developing countries (2010-12). Reneging on this promise by fudging the figures would further fuel mistrust between developed and developing countries and undermine the UN climate talks.

"According to today's reports, around 1/3 of the EU's annual contribution could come from loans, rather than direct aid. Rather than trying to address our climate debt to the world's poorest countries, we are saddling them with further debt at a time of economic difficulty. These reports compound revelations earlier this year that EU member states were trying to simply divert funding pledged for overseas development assistance.

"We call on the EU presidency to clarify the situation and to rule out backtracking on its climate financing pledges. EU member states must deliver on their promises to provide new and additional financing of €2.4 billion per year over the coming three years."

(1) Oxfam report http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressrelease/2010-05-31/climate-cash-must-not-increase-developing-countries-debt

Reported in the press http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j_4Bt6lPNWPdO0muUeqf_yJ2MfkQD9G1SGQ01