Free Republic

Europe and the U.S. have been arguing that wealthier emerging economies such as China and Saudi Arabia should also give money to the fund. Hoekstra said that what is true for the European Union and North America should be true for any country in a position of economic and geopolitical strength. “And that means driving down emissions and doing your fair share in covering the bill for those who cannot,” he said. Given the magnitude of the problem, “every single country with the ability to pay and the ability to contribute should contribute,” he said. A statement issued by China’s...

“I wasn’t looking to do this,” Mr. Paulson said in an interview. But he said he was persuaded by the success of TPG’s previous Rise funds and the firm’s understanding of the daunting scale investing in climate will require. “At this stage in my career, I’m not looking to do a start-up. I’m in a hurry to make a difference.”

The Obama administration approved another $500 million contribution for a United Nations' climate fund on Tuesday, a move that is expected to infuriate Republicans who have sought to stop the payments.~SNIP~Environmental groups applauded the contribution and warned the incoming Trump administration not to reverse the U.S.'s obligations to support the fund.~SNIP~"The incoming Trump administration and Congress must not play politics with the moral and legal obligation of the U.S. to provide assistance through the Green Climate Fund for those whose lives and livelihoods are today being devastated by climate change," said Friends of the Earth.

The first chunk of a $3bn commitment made at the Paris climate talks ‘shows the US stands squarely behind climate commitments’, the State Department said. The Obama administration has made a first installment on its $3bn pledge to help poor countries fight climate change – defying Republican opposition to the resident’s environmental plan. The $500m payment to the Green Climate Fund was seen as critical to shoring up international confidence in Barack Obama’s ability to deliver on the pledges made at the United Nations’ climate change conference in Paris in late 2015. Obama is expected to announce a number of...

resident Obama has committed a mind-boggling $3 billion to a new United Nations Green Climate Fund run by officials from Communist nations, a country that appears on the State Department’s list of terrorism-sponsors and an Arab oil-industry chief. As if it weren’t bad enough that our commander-in-chief is giving away money while the nation suffers through a colossal budget deficit, there are countless reasons why this is a lousy idea. First of all, the United Nations is a famously corrupt organization that is already largely funded by Uncle Sam to the tune of billions annually. The exact figure is tough...

The U.N.’s $100 billion Global Climate Fund, currently establishing itself but struggling to attract donor support, has adopted a travel policy that will allow eligible board members to fly business class on trips of more than nine hours’ duration. “The Fund is committed to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions [carbon dioxide and other substances blamed for climate change] arising from its travel operations,” reads the policy, adopted at a GCF board meeting in Paris this month. It mandates economy class for flights shorter than nine hours, and encourages train travel “wherever this is a viable option.” A World Bank study...

BONN, Germany – British economist Nicholas Stern says a U.N. economic panel is discussing carbon taxes, add-ons to international air fares and a levy on cross-border money transfers as ways to raise $100 billion a year to fight climate change. Stern has told international climate negotiators that governments will need to create incentives for private investments in industries emitting few greenhouse gases. The Copenhagen climate summit in December determined that $100 billion is needed every year starting in 2020 to help poor countries adapt to climate change and reduce carbon emissions.