Rich Countries Must Not Raid Aid To Pay Climate Debt

Over four million children could die unless additional money delivered to world’s poor

A new Oxfam report has today warned that 4.5 million children could die unless world leaders deliver additional funds to help poor countries fight the growing impact of climate change, rather than diverting aid from existing commitments.

The warning comes as John Key prepares to join President Obama and other world leaders at the UN General Assembly for a climate summit next week in New York. Oxfam is concerned that December’s crucial climate negotiations in Copenhagen could fail unless action is taken now by Heads of State. A deal will not be possible if there is no funding to support it. But so far only Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK have publicly stated that they are prepared to commit additional money for climate adaptation.

“It’s time to put some real funding on the table to help poor countries adapt to climate change. As part of the industrialised world, we have caused the problem and now it is time that the polluter pays in order to get out of this crisis,” said Barry Coates, Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand.

The funding to help people cope with climate change must be additional to aid. Today’s report ‘Beyond Aid: Ensuring adaptation to climate change works for the poor’ warns that if aid is diverted to help poor countries tackle climate change, 75 million fewer children are likely to attend school and 8.6 million fewer people could have access to HIV and AIDS treatment. Without at least US$50 billion a year – completely separate from the 0.7 per cent of national income rich countries have already pledged as aid – recent progress toward the Millennium Development Goals could stall and then go into reverse.

“John Key must announce that New Zealand will contribute funding for adaptation. This is an essential part of our role in order to secure the international agreement we all need,” said Coates. “Funding for adaptation to climate change cannot be seen as a two-for-one deal by politicians. Rich countries must not steal money from poor hospitals and schools in order to pay their climate debt to the developing world,” he added.

There have been great strides toward the Millennium Development Goals since their inception in 2000. In just seven years, 90 per cent of children in poor countries have been enrolled in school. Between 1999 and 2005 there was a 24 per cent drop in the number of people living in extreme poverty, and between 1990 and 2007 the number of deaths in children under five plummeted by 3.6 million.

But despite these gains, poor countries are struggling to meet the MDGs and many goals still fall short of the mark. Diverting aid for climate adaptation would strain an already overstretched system. For example, whilst Zambia now has free healthcare for all people living in rural areas and around 149,000 people are receiving lifesaving treatment for HIV and AIDS, one in six children still die before they reach the age of five and the number of mothers losing their life in pregnancy and childbirth is increasing. Ghana has abolished all primary school fees, resulting in 1.2 million more children being able to attend school. Yet almost half of Ghana’s population lives on less than US$1 a day and four out of ten men and women in Ghana cannot read or write.

Shamefully, these shocking facts about poverty are not only happening in Africa – people are dying unnecessarily in our own Pacific neighbourhood. Around one third of the Pacific’s people, mainly in the Melanesian countries, live in poverty.

“We turn a blind eye to people suffering and dying when New Zealand gives one of the lowest proportions of aid amongst OECD donors. Are we prepared to turn the other blind eye when atolls and other low lying areas of the Pacific are devastated by climate change?” asked Coates.

Currently New Zealand provides minimal amounts of funding for climate change adaptation. This is delivered through the aid programme, contributing to a ‘spaghetti bowl’ of uncoordinated aid channels. It causes major problems for developing countries, especially low-capacity Pacific nations. The UN has now established an Adaptation Fund as a more efficient and equitable mechanism. Oxfam is calling on the New Zealand Government to use the Adaptation Fund and to contribute its fair share towards it.

“Once again, our country is at risk of lagging on climate change. While other developed nations are helping to get a global agreement by offering financing, the New Zealand Government has yet to announce its position,” said Coates. “Our reputation for being clean and green good global citizens is on the line.

“We should not deny support for our Pacific neighbours and people at risk in poor countries. Oxfam is calling on John Key to make us feel proud that we can step up to our climate change responsibilities. This is the time. John Key must clearly state at the UN General Assembly that New Zealand is willing to pay its share,” concluded Coates.

Editors Notes

The report ‘Beyond Aid: Ensuring adaptation to climate change works for the poor’ is available on the Oxfam website:

www.oxfam.org.nz/resources/onlinereports/bp_132_beyond_aid_110909.pdf

ENDS