Press release - September 17, 2009
As world leaders prepare to attend the G20 meeting
in Pittsburgh next week, EU leaders have called, at an extraordinary Summit tonight, for emergency funding to allow developing countries prepare for climate action. European heads of state and government meeting in Brussels tonight want to see €5-7 billion distributed by rich countries annually before the future Copenhagen climate treaty takes effect in 2013. This funding proposed by the EU is meant to assist developing countries tackle urgent climate challenges.
"With only 80 days left before Copenhagen, the EU has made progress in its negotiating position and sends a clear message to leaders from rich nations attending the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh next week. Now that the EU and Japan are finally showing some signs of progress on climate, President Obama will soon find himself in the hot seat," said Joris den Blanken, Greenpeace EU climate and energy policy director.
Notes:
[1] Last week, the European Commission proposed that under the Copenhagen deal the EU should contribute annually €2-15 billion to developing countries for 2012-2020. These funds are intended to assist developing nations develop clean and efficient energy, protect forests and adapt to climate change. European leaders failed to improve this proposal today. Greenpeace calls on the EU to commit during its relevant Council meetings in October (of finance and environment ministers, as well as by heads of state) to €35 billion, which is to come on top of existing development assistance. Collectively, all industrialised countries should honour their climate pledge with at least €110 billion annually. The funds should be managed by a UN-backed financing scheme which will require every country to pay for its emissions.
[2] See also the joint Greenpeace and Oxfam briefing on climate finance and the negotiations in the lead up to Copenhagen: http://www.greenpeace.org/eu-unit/press-centre/policy-papers-briefings/paying-climate-bill-10-09-09