Greens applaud Ban Ki-moon's call for multibillion dollar fund to fight climate change
In Dhaka today, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on world leaders to create a multibillion dollar fund to ensure vulnerable nations are protected against increasing climate change devastation. He said that Governments must lead the way to catalyze the $100 billion dollar per annum pledged to 2020. "The fund needs to be launched in Durban. An empty shell is not sufficient".
James Abbott, Green Party Science and Technology Spokesperson said today, "Many of the most vulnerable countries such as Bangladesh, Maldives, Costa Rica and Samoa have made commitments to become carbon neutral. We must not let these countries down and we must not use the global economic crisis as an excuse not to create the fund. It is essential that poorer countries have the funds to be able to adapt to global warming."
James continued, "Most poorer countries have not even reached the levels of CO2 emissions that climate scientists say is causing climate change. Yet it is these nations that will bear the major brunt of increased global warming by exacerbating flooding and other extreme weather conditions. Experts say a 1m rise in sea levels would flood more than 15% of Bangladesh and create millions of climate refugees."
The Green Party says the world needs to wake up to the reality of climate change and Durban must make firm commitments.