Impasse on commitments to Green Climate Fund at Bonn climate change conference

(Bonn, Germany) A lack of urgency imperils the likelihood of an ambitious 2015 climate agreement, Oxfam warned today as talks continued at the latest UNFCCC meeting in Bonn, Germany.

Kelly Dent, Climate Change Policy Advisor and Head of Oxfam’s delegation in Bonn said:

“The level of commitment and ambition in proposals tabled this week does not acknowledge the accelerating rate of global warming and the projected impact on our food system, outlined in the March 2014 IPCC report. Despite an earlier agreement that developed countries would re-examine their current emission reduction pledges, increased targets have failed to materialize in Bonn.

“In contrast, we’ve seen many developing countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica and some Pacific Island nations take on ambitious long-term goals to reduce their emissions or increase renewable energy use.

“The failure by developed countries to revise their targets is a serious threat to the negotiations happening in Lima COP20 in December and Paris in 2015. A new agreement will only be realized if emission reduction pledges are sufficiently ambitious and if each country contributes its fair share.

“Oxfam is concerned that developed countries are refusing to specify how they will increase their support to developing countries to reach $100 billion per year by 2020 (agreed at the 2009 Copenhagen COP). This is the first test of the readiness of developed countries to do a deal in Paris. Developing countries have called for at least $15 billion in pledges to kickstart the Green Climate Fund.

“Wealthy governments must use the UN Secretary General’s September 2014 summit to commit significant funds, including contributions to the Green Climate Fund. Poor and vulnerable communities need this support in order to adapt to the impact of climate change and participate in low-carbon development. The Climate Summit underwrites the negotiations in Lima and Paris. A hot and hungry planet deserves nothing less.”