Thailand will not commit to climate finance

Thailand will not commit to climate finance

A man wears a mask to protect himself from the air pollution in Beijing on Dec 8, 2015. (AFP photo)
A man wears a mask to protect himself from the air pollution in Beijing on Dec 8, 2015. (AFP photo)

PARIS — The Thai climate conference delegation is refusing to commit to any financial assistance for undeveloped countries' efforts to combat climate change - rejecting a proposal by developed countries that developing countries should also contribute.

Deputy delegation leader to the Paris talks Praset Sirinapaporn said Thailand believed developed countries should accept the responsibility for funding developing countries' efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions.

His comment came in the second week of the 21st session of the climate Conference of the Parties (COP21).

participants are still debating the draft text of a new climate agreement, which includes the provision backed  by the European Union and the United States that climate finance shall be provided by developed countries and other countries “in a position to do so”.

The wording is objectionable to the 134 developing countries of the G77 and China, who insist developed countries have an obligation to provide  the funding as they were historically responsible for  greenhouse gas emissions.

The goal was set in Copenhagen in 2009 to raise climate funds of US$100 billion a year by 2020 from developed countries to help developing countries transit to low-carbon economies. It has not been agreed yet how much money will be raised this year. About $62 billion was pledged in 2014.

A final text of the draft agreement is expected to emerge by Friday.

As Thailand will chair the G77 next year, Mr Prasert said, responsibility will weigh heavily on Bangkok if the Paris agreement does not conclude with “true agreement”.  

As Thailand has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20-25% by 2030, government budget funding will be required.  But to achieve that goal, international climate finance is also needed, he said. 

Currently, Thailand is confirmed to receive 14.7 million euros (about 570 million baht) from the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions fund to promote energy efficient refrigeration and air conditioning devices in 2015-2019.

Indonesian climate delegation  chief  Nur Masripatin said during a press conference in Paris on Monday the slow progress of the negotiations was largely due to the "differentiation issue" -- how obligations are divided among developed and developing countries based on their “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities".

Developed countries must take into account that the capacity of developing countries was not all at  the same level, said Ms Masripatin.

She said the G77, which includes Indonesia, has a strong common ground in that developing countries depend on availability of climate financial support for capacity building and technology transfer.

She said that the term “in a position to do so” could refer to a number of solutions, but they must meet on a middle track between developed and developing countries.

US Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern said during the Monday press conference that the term referred to a "voluntary basis".

Developed countries must push ahead with financial aid, but developing countries which have the capability should also contribute, he said, so that an ambitious climate target can be achieved.

Least developed countries would be favoured by the wording, as it would create a larger pool of funding for their climate change action, he said.

Transparency provisions for finance spending would be ensured by a system of inventories, reports and reviews.  The US would continue its high level of funding, he added.

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