TEMPO.CO, Paris-Eleven donor countries have pledged to collect US$250 million to support mitigation and adaption programs of countries most vulnerable to climate change. Those eleven countries are Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and US. They announced their commitment through Least Developed Countries Fund (LCDF), climate change mitigation and adaptation fund managed by Global Environment Facility (GEF).
In response to the commitment, GEF chairwoman Naoko Ishii said fund is one of the most important elements in climate change. “It’s to implement environmental programs, such as renewable technology and carbon emission reduction program,” she said in a press release received by Tempo on Monday.
Funding is one of the aspects that will be discussed in Conference of Parties 21 (COP21).
Ishii said drought, rising sea level and other climate change impacts have begun affecting many developing countries and island states. “They are the most vulnerable,” she said.
Ishii continued that new funding would allow GEF to undertake request for financial support from many countries for development, food security, national adaptation and technology investment.
Since 2001, GEF has managed climate change grants of US$1.3 billion for 320 adaptation projects in 129 countries, including developing countries and small island states in America. Those projects can hopefully save 17 million people.
AMRI MAHBUB (PARIS)
