COP 15 Update - Africa considering tough demands

According to a draft text, 50 African countries are considering demanding five percent of rich nations' GDPs for developing countries, plus deep emission cuts, reports Danish daily Politiken.

The African Group is discussing tough financial demands of the developed countries at the UN climate conference.

In a draft text quoted by Danish daily Politiken, the group of 50 countries proposes that rich countries pay five percent of their GDPs to developing countries in support for their fight against climate change.

Asking for five percent would be a very ambitious demand, compared to the funding so far mentioned at the climate negotiations. Five percent of the United States’ GDP alone amounts to 722 billion US dollars (2008 figures). In comparison, the EU has calculated the developing countries’ total need for climate funding to 130 billion dollars (100 billion euro) annually by 2020.

According to the draft, the African Group asks for 400 billion dollars for developing countries from 2010-2012, while the UN estimates the need to be 10 billion dollars each of the three years.

Finally, the text – dated 11 Dec. – suggests that rich countries cut emissions by 50 percent by 2017 compared to 1990 levels, rising to 65 percent by 2020, which are much deeper cuts than offered so far during the negotiations.

The 50 African countries now debate what numbers should be posted in the final text, Politiken reports. The African Group had announced a press briefing on Saturday, however the chairman of the group, Algerian Kamel Djemouai, never turned up, writes www.politiken.dk.Read more (Danish and English)
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