The nation’s largest aid agency said today it was disappointed with the Australian Government’s lack of progress on promised “fast-start” funding to help the world’s poorest people adapt to climate change.
In an announcement last night at the UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany, the Australian delegation proposed old and new funding totalling AU$599 million.
“The fast start funds Australia announced on Budget Night this year was a step in the right direction,” World Vision CEO Reverend Tim Costello said. “It is very unfortunate that we didn’t see the follow through leadership from Australia last night at Bonn needed to reach our fair share of fast-start climate funding commitments.”
“Of the $599 million listed as Australia’s total ‘fast-start’ financing contribution, only two thirds can be classified as new contributions.”
Under the Copenhagen Accord developed last year, rich countries promised a "fast-start" package of $30 billion in "new and additional funds" to be delivered by 2012 to help developing nations adapt to climate change.
“Providing adequate funds to assist developing countries combat climate change has so far been a major stumbling block on the road to a fair deal for the world’s poorest people during UN negotiations. It is a missed opportunity not to find a solution in Bonn,” Rev Costello said.
“Delivering on commitments for fast-start funding would not only help those in need, it would also re-build trust between developed and developing nations.
“It is particularly concerning we can’t find a way to overcome the trust deficit because, even if completely fulfilled, existing pledges - both in terms of dollars and emission reductions - are not enough to curb the impacts of current and future climate change.
“As incoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) chief Christiana Figueres said earlier this week in Bonn, the pledges are not ambitious enough to protect the world’s most vulnerable people and they need to increase dramatically.”
Climate change is already having an impact on people in developing countries around the world. The Annual Disaster Statistical Review for 2008 points out that compared to the annual average during 2000-2007, the number of victims of climate-related disasters increased by 30 percent in 2008.
For example, people who live in the Philippines are under enormous threat from the changing climate. One farmer, Willie, who was interviewed by a World Vision staff member, said the recent extension of the rainy season and increase in severe storms in his area means he grows less rice and makes less money.
"I used to harvest 50 sacks of rice, I am now down to 35 sacks because the early rains have washed away flowering stalks of rice," Willie said. "These changing weather conditions dramatically affect our way of life."
Rev Costello said the urgency of climate change demands a fast, global response and securing an effective flow and delivery of fast-start funds.
“World Vision Australia urges world leaders to pick up the pace significantly, and adopt a more comprehensive and ambitious approach to the negotiations at the next round of UN climate talks.”
Tim Costello is available for media interviews. Please contact World Vision media officer Sacha Myers on 0457 926 018.