{"id":46634,"date":"2022-06-17T13:06:20","date_gmt":"2022-06-17T12:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.climatechangenews.com\/?p=46634"},"modified":"2022-06-17T14:34:25","modified_gmt":"2022-06-17T13:34:25","slug":"eu-blocks-bespoke-fund-for-climate-victims-as-rich-nations-moot-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.climatechangenews.com\/2022\/06\/17\/eu-blocks-bespoke-fund-for-climate-victims-as-rich-nations-moot-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"EU blocks bespoke fund for climate victims as rich nations moot alternatives"},"content":{"rendered":"

The EU has blocked developing countries’ call for a facility to distribute money to victims of climate disasters, despite finally recognising the need for this money to flow.<\/strong><\/p>\n

European and other rich nation negotiators believe they have shifted dramatically in recognising the need for funding in addition to that for carbon-cutting and adaptation efforts.<\/p>\n

One developed country negotiator told Climate Home: “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”.<\/p>\n

But despite showing more willing to address the issue, the gap between rich nations and developing countries’ position remains glaring. During the Bonn climate talks, which closed Thursday, the EU led resistance to developing countries’ demand for a bespoke loss and damage facility and for that to be on the formal agenda at Cop27 in Egypt.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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 on loss and damage,” said Adri\u00e1n Mart\u00ednez Blanco, of the Costa Rican campaign group Ruta Del Clima.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rich nations have avoided setting out an alternative solution to the loss and damage facility demanded by developing countries. Climate Home approached five wealthy country delegations in Bonn, none of whom wanted to discuss the issue on the record.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patricia Espinosa:<\/strong> Some rich nations felt demands on finance were \u2018too strong\u2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

At Cop26, in Glasgow, UK, last year, developing countries were pressured by wealthy nations into settling for a three-year ‘dialogue’ on funding arrangement for loss and damage, with no decision-making powers.<\/p>\n

Developing countries’s attempt to push the issue on the formal agenda for the Cop27 talks this November have so far been unsuccessful and consultations on the issue will continue. In response, they appealed directly to the UN climate head Patricia Espinosa to intervene on their behalf.<\/p>\n

Under current plans, the discussions will remain a \u2018dialogue\u2019 which is due to end in June 2024. The next session isn’t planned until June 2023. Vulnerable nations say they cannot afford to wait two more years<\/a> to have certainty on funding arrangements.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Alex Scott, of think tank E3G, said progress at the talks was “divorced from the climate impacts that are hitting on the ground outside this venue, outside these negotiations”.<\/p>\n

\n

“No more blah blah blah. Loss and damage finance now.”<\/p>\n

“Put loss and damage on the agenda.”<\/p>\n

Final message from campaigners at the #BonnClimateConference<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/8dTINNJYwX<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Chlo\u00e9 Farand (@ChloeFarand) June 16, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n