Africa let down
African leaders are right to criticize the failure of the world’s 20 richest countries to come up with US$100-billion a year to assist developing countries in their fight against climate change, despite a decade-long commitment (Africa, Hit Hard By Climate Change, Plans Tougher Stance at Summit, Oct. 26).
Instead, the target date to meet the annual amount has been postponed until 2023.
Canada is to be lauded for trying to rally other rich countries to mobilize the US$100-billion, the minimum needed by developing countries increasingly hit by droughts and cyclones. But Canada is hardly demonstrating leadership. Its commitment of only $1-billion a year over the next five years is one-tenth that of Germany, a country with a bit more than twice Canada’s population. We shall see whether the new Liberal cabinet will turn its words into more significant efforts.
Roy Culpeper, chair, Group of 78 Ottawa
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Additional John’s note:
This issue was featured in the G78’s recent conference. The opening keynote address at that conference was very good. It starts at 27 minutes’ 30 seconds in this video:
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