Friends of the Earth Brisbane
Climate Justice Collective
PO Box 5702 West End Qld 4101
0411 084 727


MEDIA RELEASE: 9th May 2007

Australia’s Climate Change adaptation funding for developing countries welcomed

Friends of the Earth Australia welcomes yesterday’s announcement that
Australia will contribute up to $7.5 million for climate change adaptation
to the Least Developed Country Fund under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The commitment, made at the UNFCCC
Secretariat meeting currently being held in Bonn, is the first made by
Australia to the UNFCCC adaptation funds.

“Friends of the Earth looks forward to the involvement of the Australian
government in framing the adaptation funds so they meet the needs of
affected communities” said Friends of the Earth Australia Climate Justice
spokesperson Emma Brindal.

“However, the figure committed by Australia represents just a small
fraction of the financial support needed by developing countries to fund
adaptation, which has been estimated at between $10 billion and $40
billion annually” said Ms Brindal.

“Funding in Least Developed Countries is required for disaster
preparedness programs, addressing food and water security, health issues
and the loss of livelihoods. Funding is also required for the relocation
of climate refugees displaced due to extreme weather events and sea-level
rise.” said Friends of the Earth’s spokesperson, Emma Brindal.

“Least Developed Countries are much more vulnerable to climate-change
induced disasters as infrastructure to cope is much less developed.
Vulnerability to climate impacts is also higher as people in these nations
are highly dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods.” said Ms
Brindal.

“To enable countries to adapt to climate change will also require further
increases in Australia’s foreign aid (ODA). Australia’s aid is set to
increase to 0.36% of Gross National Income in 2010. This figure falls far
short of the 0.7% agreed upon by OECD countries in the 1970s”.

“It is also essential for Australia to make deep and urgent cuts in our
emissions in order to minimize the devastating impacts of climate change
on Least Developed Countries” said Ms Brindal.

More information: Emma Brindal, 0411 084 727