From left: Beth Urbanas, Tim Gore, Megan Rowling, David Kabula, George Awudi, Ina Von Frantzius, Emmanuel Dlamini and Daisy Streatfeild at a discussion by Oxfam International at the QNCC yesterday. Salim Matramkot
DOHA: A key session on the Global Climate Fund (GCF) at the COP18/CMP8 yesterday saw significant differences among the Parties on funding.
While developed nations offered commitments to the $100bn Global Fund, the developing nations and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) called for agreements rather than mere assurance.
The session on funding, which drew a record number of attendees, was kick started by Tim Gore of Oxfam.
With no clarity about how they will be supported to reduce emissions and adapt to the devastating impacts of climate change, the developing countries are facing a looming ‘fiscal cliff’, Tim said.
Enough money has not gone to adaptation from the Fast Start Finance.
Developing countries and poor countries are struggling. With the Fast Start Finance exhausting there are apprehensions whether there would be slow down in the fund flow in 2013.
“There is no clarity on the funding during 2013-2020. Developed nations are saying ‘do not worry... the funding will continue’. But there is no guarantee on what level would be the funding. And there are no agreements at all,” he said.
He said the developed nations should not blame the Euro crisis as an excuse to refrain from their commitment.
“We need to know whether the funding would go up or down in the coming years and whether the critical Adaptation Fund would be going up in the coming years, he said.
George Awudi from Ghana said Africa is facing serious challenges. African economy is critically depending on crops. The impacts of climate change are expected to hit 30 percent of production. By 2020, an estimated 600,000m people would be under water restrictions. Desertification is also on the rise.
“There are no concrete actions to support. Most funds are loans not grants; and these loans are for mitigation not for adaptation,” he said.
Emmanuel Dlamini from Zambia said the Parties need to think about the modalities. Time is not on our side. The impacts are not waiting for us. We need more funds to move forward, he said.
“We do not have pledges for 2013. We are not sure whether the first instalment of $100bn would be ready for 2013”.
The developed nations bloc asserted it has been “extensively involved in the GCF.” There is nothing like a fund cliff on the horizon. We are strongly committed to the $100bn. We are a working country and we have strong commitment to the $100bn number,” Beth Urbanas, Board member of GCF for the US said.
She said the US has significantly scaled up the fast start funding and has contributed $7.5bn in mitigation and adaptation. The Peninsula
