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October 23, 2019

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Advocacy

CARE calls on governments to increase support to poor countries at replenishment conference

23 October, 2019 [Paris] – On October 24/25, 2019, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), one of the primary climate funders under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Climate Agreement, will hold the first formal conference to seek new funds. The GCF provides financial support to developing countries to tackle the impacts of the climate crisis and to support low-carbon development. CARE International calls for a strong replenishment which can help developing countries adequately prepare and respond to the impacts of the climate emergency.

“Developed countries have a moral and legal duty to provide funds for climate action to the poorest countries. Building up a substantial Green Climate Fund to assist developing countries is necessary to ensure they can tackle the devastating climate impacts caused by the inaction of the rich. All rich countries must increase their financial commitments to the Fund. In particular, Japan, the United States and Australia, who have not announced pledges so far, must not stay absent. We call on all rich countries to contribute at least USD 15 billion in grants to the GCF over the next four years, and ensure at least 50% goes to adaptation.” 

Sven Harmeling, Global Policy Lead Climate Change and Resilience with CARE International

“Developing countries in Africa are acutely aware of the need for accelerated actions to strengthen climate resilience of their vulnerable communities and ecosystems. In particular, women are at the frontlines of the climate crisis. Civil society actors have an ever increasing role to safeguard in-country GCF investment that considers gender, climate information, climate-smart agriculture, and ecosystem friendly solutions. This role must be amplified through direct GCF investments to women-led community organizations and institutions,  which are currently underrepresented in the implementation of GCF projects.”

Crispus Mugambi, Resilience and Climate Change Sector Manager, CARE Kenya

“Canada’s announcement in August of just 300 million USD towards the Green Climate Fund represents a decline, in real terms, from Prime Minister Harper’s initial contribution to the Fund in 2014. Just a day after a federal election that sent a clear signal of Canadians’ expectations that their government will do its part to confront the climate crisis, CARE hopes that the Government of Canada will consider increasing its pledge and joining other like-minded countries who have stepped forward to double their initial GCF contributions.” 

Shaughn McArthur, Policy and Influence Lead, CARE Canada