For immediate release.
TIO’TIA:KE [MONTREAL], 16 December 2022:
Today at COP15, Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault and Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced a new contribution of CAD $255 million to protect nature and improve climate resilience in the Global South.
The pledge follows Prime Minister Trudeau’s announcement last week of $350 million to support biodiversity conservation efforts in developing countries. These pledges are additional to Canada’s existing commitment of $5.3 billion for international climate finance, including $1 billion for nature.
“Developing countries have made it clear that an ambitious plan to protect and restore biodiversity isn’t possible without adequate funding,” said Eddy Pérez, International Climate Diplomacy Director at Climate Action Network – Réseau action climat Canada (CAN-Rac). “We’re glad to see Canada playing a constructive role, supporting that call and pressuring its allies to agree to increased funding. Today’s announcement is a strong demonstration of solidarity and a strategic move that cranks up the pressure on countries blocking progress on the finance discussions.”
The majority of the funding under today’s pledge ($219 million) makes up Canada’s contribution towards the eighth replenishment of the GEF. Last June, twenty-nine contributor governments including Canada agreed on a replenishment of USD $5.33 billion over the next four years, for initiatives including addressing biodiversity and forest loss, improving ocean health, combating pollution, and reducing the effects of climate change.
This new funding announced today will also include support for feminist climate action in West Africa, the United Nations Development Programme’s biodiversity finance initiative, and the Moroccan forestry strategy.
At COP15, developing nations have called for the establishment of a new fund solely dedicated to implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework, alongside a strengthening of the GEF. CAN-Rac is calling for countries to agree on the creation of this fund at COP15 and an accompanying resource mobilization plan to be adopted at COP16, with an interim quick-start strategy to muster finance in 2023.
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Canada’s farthest-reaching network of organizations working on climate and energy issues, Climate Action Network – Réseau action climat (CAN-Rac) Canada is a coalition of 140 organizations operating from coast to coast to coast. Our membership brings environmental groups together with trade unions, First Nations, social justice, development, health and youth organizations, faith groups and local, grassroots initiatives.
For more information, to arrange an interview, or to sign up for our daily COP15 updates, contact:
Vicky Coo, Communications Lead
comms@climateactionnetwork.ca