The European Union will give a minimum of 50 million € (and up to 300 million) between 2008 and 2010 to developing countries.
This will be done in order to enable these countries to cope with climate change related events and to reduce both local poverty and greenhouse gases emissions.
Actions will notably include the reduction of deforestation and the promotion of energy efficient technologies.
The official press release by the European Commission states :
The European Commission is proposing to build a new alliance on climate change between the European Union and the poor developing countries that are most affected and that have the least capacity to deal with climate change.
Through this Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA), the EU and these countries will work jointly to integrate climate change into poverty reduction strategies.
The EU will provide substantial resources to address climate change in these countries. Measures will include better preparedness for natural disasters which are expected to become more frequent and intense through global warming.
The GCCA renews the commitment of the EU Action Plan on Climate Change and Development to systematically integrate climate change into development cooperation.
Developing countries will be the hardest hit by the effects of climate change and therefore need our help to mitigate climate change and to adapt to the changes already occuring. New technology is only one way of developing towards a sustainable society without hampering development and quality of life.
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The EU has a leadership role in promoting international action to tackle climate change. The Spring Council 2007 put forward concrete proposals for a post-2012 international climate change agreement, and committed to significant cuts in the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The Global Climate Change Alliance will be an important pillar of the EU’s external action on climate change, reaching out to the countries least responsible for, but most affected by global warming.
Assistance provided under the Global Climate Change Alliance is proposed to focus on five areas: implementing concrete adaptation measures; reducing emissions from deforestation; helping poor countries take advantage from the global carbon market; helping poor countries to be better prepared for natural disasters, and integrating climate change into development cooperation and poverty reduction strategies.
As Climate change affects many sectors, it needs to be integrated into poverty reduction efforts in order to ensure sustainability.
Systematic climate risk assessment and mainstreaming of climate change into development strategies and programmes (“climate proofing”) are imperative in this regard.
Furthermore, according to the article on the International Herald Tribune :
EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel said the funding for a new global climate change alliance was “only a startup” and he wanted EU nations to add their own money to the pot — warning that a lot more was needed to reduce poverty and save lives.
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The EU said it was setting up the worldwide partnership because it had “a leadership role in promoting international action to tackle climate change.”
Sources and further readings in English :
- Official press release : Commission proposes a global alliance to help developing countries most affected by climate change ;
- AFP : EU sets up 50 million euro fund for poor nations to fight global warming ;
- IHT : EU to give poor nations at least €50 million to deal with climate change ;
- Forbes : EU to create alliance with developing countries on climate change.
Plus d’informations en Français :
- Actu Environnement : UE, une alliance mondiale pour lutter contre le changement climatique ;
- Xinhua : L’UE propose l’instauration d’une alliance pour aider les pays pauvres touchés par le changement climatique ;
- Le Monde : Bruxelles veut aider les pays en développement à combattre le changement climatique.