Monday 28 September 2015

UN members pledge $100bn a year to tackle climate change

UN members have set a goal to mobilise $100 billion (£64bn) per year to tackle climate change by 2020.

That’s part of the UN’s global framework, which includes 17 targets to eliminate poverty and take climate action over the next 15 years.

The 'Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' aims to strengthen resilience to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

It also includes plans to integrate climate change measures into national policies and promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate-related planning and management.

The World Energy Council said it will support the UN's goals.

Christoph Frei, Secretary General said: “The adoption of energy among sustainable development goals is timely, critical and historic. Timely because we need to master the energy transition at a time of greatest uncertainty in the energy sector. Critical because we will not solve energy access or achieve energy efficiency objectives without moving the agenda from those who want to those who can.

"Historic because the development community for the first time recognises the fundamental role energy is playing in the achievement of most of the other sustainable development goals."

The UK announced it will spend £5.8 billion to help developing countries tackle climate change in the next five years.