Harper vows $100M to fight climate change

[d_rawk]

QUEBEC CITY – Despite criticism that his government hasn't done enough to deal with climate change here in Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today $100 million to help poor countries deal with the pressing environmental issue.

Harper made the announcement during the closing press conference of the Summit of la Francophonie, which wrapped up this afternoon in Quebec City. The Francophonie is an organization of 55 countries where French is a spoken language, largely comprised of developing countries in Africa that were once colonized by France or Belgium.

The money will be distributed this fiscal year primarily through international development organizations, Harper said.

"Those monies are to be distributed almost exclusively to countries that aren't major contributors to climate change, or major sources of greenhouse gas emissions," Harper said, "but nonetheless will be affected" by climate change.

Targeted regions include the poorest countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the south Pacific, to minimize the impact of climate change.

Harper said it hasn't been decided yet exactly what programs the money will be used for, but emphasized that it's "not a mitigation fund. It's an adaptation fund."

The Harper government has rejected the original greenhouse gas targets of the Kyoto Protocol as unattainable. Kyoto called for a 6 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2012.

Canada's emission levels have risen 27 per cent since 1990.

With respect to Kyoto, Harper would only say that his government is participating in post-Kyoto negotiations. Earlier this summer, Harper hailed G-8 leaders for agreeing to a 50 per cent greenhouse gas reduction by 2050.

"Our government has always been convinced we must find a concrete and truly planetary solution to climate change," Harper said. "All emitting countries must contribute to this solution, and Canada will do its part. We are conscious of the fact developing countries can afford to do more."

The Francophonie yesterday spend its time discussing the promotion and facilitation of the French language around the world. Previous days were spent primarily on the global financial crisis, and delegates here supported France's call for a summit on the reorganization of capitalism in the face of unregulated markets.

thestar.com