The European Union has reportedly blocked developing countries’ calls for financial aid to victims of climate disasters. This is despite finally recognising the need for this money to flow.
The EU, together with other rich nation negotiators, has reportedly shifted dramatically in recognising the need for funding in addition to that carbon-cutting and adaptation efforts.
One developed country negotiator was quoted as saying, “One year ago, I wouldn’t have been allowed to say ‘loss and damage’…a lot of progress has happened in the last year or so”.
However, despite showing more willingness to address the issue, the gap between rich nations and developing countries’ positions remains clear.
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Recall that during the Bonn climate talks, which closed Thursday, the EU led resistance to develop countries’ demand for a bespoke loss and damage facility and for that to be on the formal agenda at Cop27 in Egypt.
Adrián Martínez Blanco, of the Costa Rican campaign group Ruta Del Clima, was quoted as saying that the fact is that the EU is still unable to grasp the scale of harm that climate impacts cause in the Global South nor of its direct responsibility for loss and damage.
He explained that rich nations have avoided setting out alternative solutions to the loss and damage facility which is being demanded by developing countries.
Recall that developing countries, at Cop26, in Glasgow UK, last year were pressured by wealthy nations into settling for a three-year ‘dialogue’ on funding arrangements for loss and damage, with no decision-making powers.
Sadly, their attempt to push the issue on the formal agenda for the Cop27 talks this November has so far been unsuccessful and consultations on the issue will continue. They are reported to have appealed directly to the UN climate head Patricia Espinosa to intervene on their behalf.
Story was adapted from Climate Home News.
