VIENNA — Developed countries pledged $9.3 billion to help poor nations tackle climate change at a conference held in the German city of Bonn on Thursday, authorities said. However, nongovernmental groups criticized the outcome, saying the funds fall short of what is needed to tackle climate change.
“The collected sum will likely turn out to be much higher,” the German Foreign Ministry and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development said in a joint statement. “The Green Climate Fund, envisioned as the lifeline for climate action in developing nations, is held back by the indifference of wealthy countries,” said Harjeet Singh, Head of Global Political Strategy of the Climate Action Network International, a global network of over 1900 environmental civil society organizations in over 130 countries.
German Minister for Economic Development Svenja Schulze, who hosted the Bonn conference, called on more nations to contribute their “fair share” to the financial effort.