11 December 2008
Civil society groups argue that the fund is essential to any new global climate agreement involving the large-scale transfer of financial resources to help poorer nations reduce emissions that cause global climate change.
On December 11, 2008, at the United Nations climate talks in Poznan, Poland, over 160 civil society organizations (CSOs) from around the world issued a statement voicing support for the establishment of a major new Global Climate Fund under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Their position builds upon that of the G-77 group of developing countries as well as that of China, who also prefer to see climate funds under the UNFCCC. Furthermore, CSOs in the statement support the demand that no funds outside the UNFCCC process, particularly those of the World Bank, be "counted toward binding commitments of financial support by developed to developing countries."
Civil society groups argue that the fund would be a "vital component of any new global climate agreement that involves the large-scale transfer of financial resources from rich to poorer countries in order to help these nations reduce the emissions that cause global climate change." The statement also offers principles to guide the formation of the new fund, particularly in ways that take advantage of the creativity that citizen groups can bring toward solving the climate challenge.
Read the Joint Statement that was issued (IPS website)
source:
Over 160 Citizen Groups from Dozens of Countries Endorse UN Global Climate Fund: International Call for Fund Outside World Bank, December 11, 2008 (Polaris Institute website)
Related articles:
CLIMATE CHANGE: 'Don't leave it to the World Bank', by Ramesh Jaura, December 10, 2008 (IPS website)