Skip to content

Climate

Developed nations falling behind on Copenhagen climate change promises

by David Hewitt 18 Nov 2010
Developed nations falling behind on Copenhagen climate change promises

The world's richest nations will go into the next session of UN climate change negotiations already lagging behind on the promises they made at last year's Copenhagen summit.

With the latest round of talks set to begin in Cancun, Mexico, on November 29th, a newly-published report from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) has concluded that, despite the positive rhetoric that accompanied December's much-hyped talks in the Danish capital, developed nations are a long way short of providing poorer countries with the financial assistance they need to adapt to the potential consequences of climate change.

The Copenhagen Accord, which was rather hurriedly agreed to at the end of the UN summit of 2009, is non-binding. However, in signing it, the likes of the UK, US, Germany and France, among others, pledged to not only provide developing nations with some $30 billion between 2010 and 2012, but to ensure that this financial help is balanced between "adaptation and mitigation".

According to the London-based IIED, it is on the latter promise that donors are falling short, with too much money being spent on mitigation initiatives, principally those geared towards curbing levels of carbon emissions at the source.

Indeed, the organisation's research, which was carried out in association with experts at Brown University, found that just 11 to 16 per cent of the money pledged by donor nations up until now will be spent on adaptation projects aimed at boosting the resilience of developing countries to the likely impact climate change will have on agriculture, health and livelihoods.

Commenting on the current situation, Brown University researcher David Ciplet, who co-authored the report, explained that a lack of clear definition as to what counts as adaptation funding is forming, with this effectively meaning that there is no real way of measuring to what degree the Copenhagen promises are being met.

"Adaptation funding is absolutely crucial for the billions of people who face the rising intensity of climate disasters, but making promises is only the first step," he noted.

"What matters now is that developed countries make good on their promises and provide the funding needed to enable vulnerable countries and communities to increase their resilience to climatic threats such as droughts and floods, rising sea levels and new risks from diseases and crop pests."

Furthermore, a significant proportion of the funding that is being given for such adaptation projects is being given in the form of loans, rather than grants, meaning countries that can ill-afford it are called upon to "pay to fix a problem that the developed nations created", the report also warns.

Given that the publication of the report comes in the same week that Italy comes under mounting pressure to reveal the true extent of its contributions to European Union funds earmarked for helping developing nations face up to the threats posed by the world's changing climates, environmental campaigners could be forgiven for taking a pessimistic view of the upcoming Cancun talks before world leaders even arrive in Mexico.

But, it's not all doom and gloom. Speaking to the Washington Post, Angela Anderson, program director for the US Climate Action Network, explained that the shortcomings highlighted by the IIED report should be viewed as a "learning opportunity", particularly when it comes to finding the ideal balance between addressing both short-term and longer-term concerns.

Dr J Timmons Roberts, Director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Brown University and another of the report's authors, meanwhile, feels that, by making use of new technology in order to track funds all the way from the pockets of taxpayers in developed nations to adaptation projects in developing countries, it could be possible to create a "new era of global cooperation, avoiding many of the pitfalls of past foreign aid".

Whatever is agreed upon at Cancun, as Mr Ciplet notes casting an eye back to Copenhagen, "making promises is just the first step", and only time will tell if the lessons of the past are taken into account at the Mexico summit.


Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping