Developed countries urged to provide long-term funding to help poor countries' climate efforts

Developed countries should set a clear timeline and a roadmap for the implementation of their promise to provide 100 billion U.S. dollars each year by 2020 to assist developing countries in addressing climate change, Xie Zhenhua, China's special representative on climate change affairs, said here Monday.

Developed countries should also put forward a new, larger funding plan compatible with further climate actions to be taken by developing countries after 2020, Xie told a high-level event on the sidelines of a UN climate conference.

Britain and Australia have started to make efforts to fulfill their promises, said Xie at the forum on South-South cooperation, adding that such a move should be recognized.

A clear timeline for implementing developed countries' promise on climate funding to developing countries will help consolidate mutual trust at the ongoing UN climate conference, which opened in the southern Moroccan city one week ago, he said.

The two-week conference should be focused on the implementation of the Paris Agreement and on achieving tangible results on the issues of adaption, funding, technology and capacity-building, Xie stressed.

Developed countries promised in 2009 to provide 100 billion dollars each year by 2020 to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change and develop a green economy. The goal, however, has so far not been reached.

Xie reaffirmed China's plan to set up a 20 billion yuan (2.93 billion U.S. dollars) fund for South-South cooperation, saying that China will use the fund to establish low-carbon model parks, implement mitigation and adaption projects and train personnel in developing countries.

In his speech to the forum, Xie also called for strengthening South-South cooperation in addressing climate change.

Developing countries can learn a lot from each other in meeting the challenges of developing their economy, improving their peoples' livelihood, eradicating poverty and protecting the environment, he said.

Xie expressed his hope that international organizations, such as the United Nations system, will continue taking advantage of their respective strengths to promote South-South cooperation in addressing climate change.

The forum, co-organized by China, Morocco and the United Nations, brought together senior UN officials and ministers from more than a dozen countries. The participants will discuss the role of South-South cooperation in addressing climate change and building the capacity of developing countries and explore ways of financing for climate efforts and sustainable development. Endit