Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Oxfam NZ welcomes fund for developing countries to adapt to climate change

Posted at 22:19 on 30 November, 2009 UTC

A New Zealand-based non-government organisation says its encouraging that a 10 billion dollar US fund to help developing countries adapt to climate change has been announced.

Commonwealth leaders say ten percent of the Copenhagen Launch Fund should be earmarked for small island states and low lying coastal states.

Barry Coates from Oxfam New Zealand says he’s pleased countries are prepared to help fund climate change adaptation.

But he says the amounts being talked about are grossly inadequate for the scale of damage being caused by climate change.

“I guess the fact that finally they are starting to talk amounts of money is a good thing, but there’s a long way to go before the kinds of funding that are being discussed are anywhere near what’s needed.”

Barry Coates says its disappointing Commonwealth leaders could not agree on targets to reduce greenhouse emissions.