Denmark donates $1.6 billion towards fighting climate change in developing countries

A delegate looks at a giant globe which displays the warming of the world's ocean in the U.S. pavilion at the UN Climate summit in Copenhagen, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009. The UN weather agency unveiled data showing that this decade is on track to become the hottest since records began in 1850, with 2009 the fifth-warmest year ever. The second warmest decade was the 1990s.

AP Photo / Anja Niedringhaus

 

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark --

Denmark on Wednesday became the first country to donate $1.2 billion dollars [kr] towards fighting climate change in developing countries, Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.

“The funds will go to climate action in developing countries for the period 2010 to 2012,” a news release said.

The European Union estimates that $5 to $6 billion dollars is needed globally to help fight climate change in developing countries.

The purpose of the “start up funding,” the ministry says, is to help the poorest and most vulnerable countries adapt to climate change and, eventually, participate in combating them effectively in the near future.

“We send a clear signal to other countries about the need to finance on the table in Copenhagen. Without funding for the poorest countries hit hardest, there will be no climate agreement. The needs are here and now. We will therefore immediately after the conclusion of an international climate agreement roll their sleeves up and turn debate into action,” Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Per Stig Møller, said.