Countries’ ‘new and additional’ funds targeting global warming fall short

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Last December, the world’s richest nations promised $30 billion in aid to the help the poorest countries reduce their impact on global warming. However, as the total given so far is closing in on this goal, many are wondering if the aid is really "new."

Currently, these nations have given $29.8 billion, according to Reuters calculations. Yet re-labeling of past pledges coupled with austerity policies aimed at tackling government debt may be undermining the total donations actually given, analysts say.

"It’s hard to know what’s really new and additional," Clifford Polycarp of the Washington, D.C.-based World Resources Institute, which tracks pledges by all nations, told Reuters. Many of the donations have been "restated or renamed commitments already made," he added.

For example, Japan pledged $15 billion – the highest amount by any single nation – yet much of the money was previously allocated to the "Cool Earth Partnership" signed several years back, the source writes. Additionally, much of the pledged money was committed before the Copenhagen summit, negating its status as "new or additional." This includes a portion of the $9.6 billion the European Union pledged for 2010-2012, as well as U.S. President Barack Obama’s plan to give $3.2 billion for 2010-2011.

In an effort to improve accountability, nations including Mexico, Switzerland and the Netherlands are creating websites to track promises and rebuild trust as government leaders prepare to meet in Cancun, Mexico, to continue climate discussions.

While experts do not expect a new United Nations treaty to be reached, they hope that progress will be made on issues including protecting tropical rainforests, sharing green technologies and once again helping poor nations cut greenhouse emissions, the source writes.

Last week, the head of the UN climate science panel told the Press Trust of India that a deal in Cancun "is not possible, particularly considering the situation in some countries." The Cancun climate talks will take place from November 29 through December 10.

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