Climate Aid Key to Paris Deal, Says Amber Rudd

Climate aid to developing countries is likely to be the biggest sticking point hindering a global deal at the U.N. climate talks in Paris later this year, according to the U.K.’s energy and climate secretary.

Amber Rudd, who will lead the U.K.’s negotiating team, said that creating a meaningful financial package for developing countries is “absolutely essential” for brokering an agreement.

She affirmed the U.K.’s commitment to meeting the global goal of making $100bn (£65bn) a year available by 2020 to help developing countries adapt to and mitigate the worst effects of climate change.

Rudd said: “I think the most challenging element of getting a deal in Paris is demonstrating that we have corralled sufficient climate finance.  I’m very involved with making sure we work with other governments to make sure that the [$100bn] commitment is in place so that we can give countries the confidence to sign up to the Paris deal in order to get the growth they need to take people out of poverty.  Having evidence of that and being able to show we can mobilize it from 2020 is absolutely essential to getting a deal.”
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Negotiators from more than 190 countries will meet in Paris.  The conference will focus on getting commitments from both developed and developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to take effect from 2020 when current commitments expire.

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