Copenhagen “green fund” depends on climate deal-EU

NUSA DUA, Indonesia,  (Reuters) – China and India’s  hesitation to back formally a Copenhagen climate agreement could  jeopardise $30 billion in climate aid to the developing world, a  senior European Union official said yesterday.
Some 100 countries have signed up for the Copenhagen Accord  for fighting climate change, two months after it was agreed at a  summit in December, documents showed on Tuesday.

China, India and Russia are the largest greenhouse gas  emitters yet to make clear if they fully endorse the deal, which  sets a goal of limiting a rise in world temperatures to less  than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit).

Under the non-binding pact, rich nations also plan to give  $30 billion in climate aid from 2010-12, rising to $100 billion  a year from 2020, largely channelled through a “Copenhagen Green  Climate Fund”.

Karl Falkenberg, the director general of environment at the  EU Commission, said on Wednesday that the fund would be only  available “in the context of an international framework that  leads to the reduction of CO2 emissions.”
“It is not money for free, it is money that comes with an  outcome where everyone is making an effort, then we are helping  developing countries to make more of an effort than they could  do on their own,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a U.N.  environment conference in Nusa Dua, on the Indonesian island of  Bali.

Falkenberg suggested that, in particular, countries which  did not fully support the Accord may not qualify for the funds.  China has already said it did not expect to be a big recipient.

“If countries hesitate to commit to the Copenhagen Accord  which has created this green fund then it’s difficult to talk  about the green fund with countries that are not clear whether  they are in or out or whether they want it,” said Falkenberg.

“We need to see a preparedness to work with the Accord.”

China said in Copenhagen last year it did not want any of  the green funds. A spokesman for British Energy and Climate  Change Secretary Ed Miliband said earlier this month that the  aid would not be contingent on cooperation from big polluters.  [ID:nLDE61B1ZJ]

China and India have submitted emissions goals under the  Accord, but have stopped short of saying they want to be listed  as “associates”, using the formal language of the agreement.