CAFOD calls on the UK to commit money to the climate fund for developing countries

CAFOD has called on the UK’s Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to pledge significant funds to the Green Climate Fund at the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Durban.

On the penultimate day of the Conference of Parties 17 talks, ministers from Denmark and Germany announced commitments to the Fund. Germany pledged 40m Euros and Denmark 15m Euros so that the Fund can begin operating as soon as possible.

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CAFOD’s climate analyst Dr Sarah Wykes said: “Agreement on the “what”s and “how”s of the Green Climate Fund is a vital outcome here in Durban but an empty fund, however well designed, is useless to developing countries that need money to cope with climate change impacts happening now and in the future. Germany and Denmark are in the grip of the Eurozone crisis, yet they can see this bigger picture and are standing in firm solidarity with the poorest who have done least to cause man-made climate change.

“It is now time for the UK's Chris Huhne to stop re-announcing existing Spending Review allocations of cash as news and commit money to the Green Climate Fund. He has arrived in Durban purporting to mean business, so let him show that the UK is still a leader on climate change at the UNFCCC.”

Money from the Green Climate Fund is earmarked for developing countries to pay for projects to cope with climate change impacts in their countries. Many developing countries are already facing severe changes in climate with more extreme and frequent droughts and floods, as well as more violent weather events.

In 2010 Pakistan suffered a “super-flood” resulting from unusually heavy monsoon rains. The waters covered one fifth of Pakistan's total land area, and affected 20m people - destroying property, livelihoods and infrastructure. Close to 2,000 people lost their lives.

Jawed Ali Khan, Director General (Environment) for Pakistan’s Ministry of Disaster Management said: “Climate finance for long-term work to help us cope with climate change is vital; we are a poor country and the structures in our country are not sufficient to help everyone affected by climate change. It is not only the super-flood that came and affected 20m people and covered 5% of our land, we also recorded our hottest ever temperature at 54degrees Celsius last year and we are having outbreaks of fatal Dengue fever which never used to affect our cities.

“Right now we are ready and want to put measures in place that can make people more resilient to climate change, but we don’t have the money to do this on our own. We are having to spend so much money on disasters that we are left with little money for infrastructure and essential services for people, especially poorer people living in rural areas.”