- A disagreement has emerged over access to a newly created fund aimed at helping impoverished nations cope with climate change-related losses.
- Rich countries like France and the US seek to limit fund access to the smallest, poorest nations, while developing nations such as India and Pakistan argue for broader eligibility.
- A technical committee, which convened multiple times this year, is still ironing out the fund’s operational details, marked by heated debates over eligibility criteria.
The dispute over who can access the new fund created to help poor countries deal with the losses caused by climate change. Rich countries like France and the US want to limit the fund to only the smallest and poorest countries while developing countries like India and Pakistan argue that they should also be eligible.
Dispute: Access to climate aid
Last year at the COP27 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage established the fund. The fund aims to provide financial and technical support to developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, such as floods, droughts, storms, and sea level rise.
A technical committee that met three times this year is still negotiating the details of how the fund will work. The last meeting, which took place from August 29 to September 1, saw heated arguments between rich and poor countries over the criteria for eligibility.
According to a report by The Wire, France proposed that only small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs) should be able to access the fund. Other rich countries also supported this view, saying that other developing countries should seek help from existing multilateral development banks instead.
Developing countries like Brazil, Egypt and Colombia opposed this proposal, saying that it goes against the decision made at COP26, which did not specify any restrictions on eligibility. They said that all developing countries that are vulnerable to climate change should be able to benefit from the fund.
Rich nations’ plan affects India, Pakistan
The rich countries’ proposal could affect India and Pakistan. Both countries are facing severe impacts of climate change, such as melting glaciers, water scarcity, heat waves and crop failures. They are also among the largest contributors to global emissions, which makes them less likely to receive support from other sources.
The dispute over the fund reflects the wider gap between rich and poor countries on how to address the climate crisis. While rich countries have pledged to provide $100 billion per year in climate finance to developing countries by 2020, they have failed to deliver on this promise. Meanwhile, developing countries are demanding more support for adaptation and compensation for loss and damage.
The next COP27 summit in Egypt expects the technical committee to present its recommendations on the fund next year. However, it is unclear whether the committee will be able to reach a consensus or whether the fund will become another source of conflict in the global climate negotiations.
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