EU leaders unlikely to agree on climate aid to poor countries, COP 15
Release Date: 2009-03-20
Diplomats in Brussels say a decision on new climate aid is not a priority now as the worsening economic recession takes a bigger share of national budgets. A decision isn't expected until June at the earliest.
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EU leaders unlikely to agree on climate aid to poor countries
Diplomats in Brussels say a decision on new climate aid is not a priority now as the worsening economic recession takes a bigger share of national budgets. A decision isn't expected until June at the earliest.
Associated Press
20/03/2009 11:10
EU leaders will probably delay a decision on how much money the 27-nation bloc is willing to spend to persuade poor, mostly African countries to sign up to a new U.N.-sponsored climate change pact, diplomats said Thursday.
The European Union leaders are under increased pressure from environmental groups and the U.N. to set a specific figure now, as detailed and sensitive negotiations enter their last nine months ahead of the year-end climate change conference in Copenhagen. That meeting is supposed to reach a new global emissions cutting treaty.
EU leaders were debating how many billions of euros to offer poor countries at two-day summit talks here.
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who will co-host the U.N.-sponsored conference, said the EU must live up to its promises to help out developing countries that can ill afford to shut down coal or oil-burning energy plants — which are cheap but pollute heavily.
"We have to send a clear message that we are going to take on a fair share of the growing financial burden," Fogh Rasmussen said.
EU finance and environment ministers have argued in recent weeks over how much poor country aid the bloc should present as part of its negotiating position at the Copenhagen conference.
The leaders were supposed to narrow that divide at this week's summit. However, diplomats said a decision on new climate aid was not a priority now as the worsening economic recession takes a bigger share of national budgets. They said a decision wasn't expected until June at the earliest.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU should wait until other industrial powers and big donor nations set out their climate change positions.
"Of course we are ready to help developing countries in fighting climate change. But I think it would be bad negotiation tactics to give figures now, before the United States and others have given some concrete reduction targets," said Merkel. "We as Europeans cannot solve the problem all by ourselves."
Her position is backed by Britain and France, while the Netherlands and Denmark are keen for a decision now that would put pressure on other top donors to match the EU pledge.
EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas says some €54 billion ($74 billion) a year by 2030 will have to be made available to developing countries to implement emission cuts.
However, it remains unclear whether the aid will be new or siphoned out of existing aid programs, which could negatively affect efforts to fight poverty.
Aid and environmental groups argue the EU needs a specific aid deal to maintain its credibility as a global leader in fighting climate change.
"If European leaders are serious about securing a fair and effective global climate deal this year, they urgently need to agree a substantial package of assistance for poor countries and push for bolder emissions cuts in rich countries," said Elise Ford, from Oxfam International.
The EU's 27 leaders agreed in December to cut greenhouse emissions by 20 percent and ensure that 20 percent of energy comes from wind, sun and other renewable sources by 2020. However, they said they could increase their cuts to 30 percent, if key nations such as the United States, Russia and China follow suit.
| Type: | NORMAL |
| Company: | COP 15 |
| Country: | Denmark |
| Url: | http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=906 |