Climate change funds needed for poor communities
Charity calls for more money to help developing countries combat climate change
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Tuesday, 22, Sep 2009 12:02
By Sarah Garrod.
Multi-million pound funds are desperately needed to combat the devastating effects of climate change, a charity has warned today.
A Christian Aid report has said more help is needed to help developing countries successfully adapt to the increasingly harsh climate caused by global warming.
The charity is calling for the UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December to create a new Sustainable Development Innovation Facility, which would receive ten per cent of each developing country's climate funding.
"Local communities need to become a central part of the international action agreed at Copenhagen and not an afterthought," the report's lead author, Dr Alison Doig said.
"They are not just the victims of climate change - they also have a significant role to play in the solutions."
Christian Aid published the report to coincide with the start of three key international meetings of world leaders, beginning with the UN's climate summit in New York today. The charity claims it wants the proposed new facility, which will cost developed countries more than ?110 billion, to be channelled through community-based organisations, civil society groups, local private companies and local governments.
The reports said the facility "would be used to support pilot projects of innovative approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation and to support the extension of existing projects".
Dr Doig added: "This report includes a host of inspiring examples of how poor communities are already adapting to climate change and developing in ways which are environmentally sustainable. Many more people could benefit from the sort of solutions they have discovered, if the financial and political support were available."