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Tim Farron writes…Green Climate Fund shows this government is leading the world

by Steve Beasant on 21 November, 2014

The following article is written by Tim Farron MP and was published yesterday on the Liberal Democrat Voice Website.

We often forget to say thank you, because we’re straight on to the next thing. But today, I want to say thank you to everyone – from our members, activists, staff, councillors, MPs and Peers to Ed Davey for the success we’ve seen as a party on the Green Climate Fund. Even if climate change doesn’t get your heart racing, if you want evidence that the Lib Dems in the Coalition are alive and kicking – look no further. Cameron’s “green crap” attitude hasn’t stopped us leading the world on climate change. We’ve got a lot more to do – but this is good news that should give us confidence.

Set up five years ago at the Copenhagen climate conference, the Green Climate Fund is designed – over time – to replace the spaghetti system of existing funds, and become the main channel for finance to help developing countries reduce emissions and protect themselves from dangerous climate change. It was one of the outcomes which saved the Copenhagen climate conference from complete failure.

Like Ed Davey, I’m proud that our government today helped to kick-start this crucial fund, which I’ve previously written about. Climate finance is central to the international climate negotiations, and having the fund up and running in time for COP 20 in Lima this December is an important trust-building measure. For the first time, poor countries are being asked to commit to reduce emissions as part of the global climate agreement in Paris next year – yet developed countries have consistently failed to deliver on their side of the bargain to provide promised support. As a result, the Green Climate Fund is seen as a key test by developing countries on whether developed countries can really be relied on to deliver their promises.

The timing of the pledging conference today – with the other two parties trying to UKIP-UKIP in Rochester – has provoked questions about whether this money would be better spent on flood defences in the UK. The idea that this is an either-or choice misses the point. Supporting emissions reductions abroad, and bringing the world onto a pathway to avoid dangerous climate change, is quite simply the best insurance we can buy to prevent future devastating flooding in the UK.

And for many communities on the front-line of climate change, from the Philippines to Ethiopia, they are facing impacts on an altogether different scale. Increasingly common and severe storms are wiping out harvests and livelihoods – and farmers are already struggling to adapt to droughts, closely followed by floods. Charities like Oxfam have warned that climate change risks reversing decades of progress in the fight against hunger. And the injustice is that it is the poorest and most vulnerable people who are being hit hardest by climate chaos caused by rich, industrialised countries. But these communities and governments are already getting on with the job of adapting and reducing emissions.

I’m glad our government is right behind them supporting them in these efforts – and I am proud to be the party making it happen.

Tim Farron is President of the Liberal Democrats.

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