strengthen their plans and policies to reduce their emissions this decade, provide $100bn (£73bn) a year in climate finance as previously agreed, assist poor countries in adapting to extreme weather conditions, accept responsibility for their contribution in the effects of climate change suffered by poor, vulnerable countries, and finally, to being the Paris agreement into full effect.
“Developed countries are currently not pulling their weight or keeping their promises on their obligations to provide climate finance,” Tanguy Gahouma-Bekale, chair of the Africa group of negotiators, said. “Like any negotiation, you need to have faith that pledges and commitments will be met. In 2009 and 2015, they promised to deliver climate finance by 2020. Yet this is still to be met, and we don’t have a clear plan to achieve it.”
Earlier this month, in an article published on the website of the Thomson Reuters Foundation on, the COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma highlighted the frustration widespread among developing countries regarding the insufficient support provided by wealthy nations, particularly in terms of climate finance.
However, as host of COP26, the United Kingdom itself has recently caused concern by slashing overseas aid to 0.5 per cent of GDP, a move which has left Sharma in a tight spot. Some sources claim that the minister is unhappy at the position he has been placed in, while one Tory MP even suggested Sharma was on “resignation watch”, according to POLITICO.
