Tonight at the club: What is the human cost of climate change?

The UK government should keep the promises it gave to the 2009 Copenhagen climate summit and give more funds to halting harmful emissions and their effects on poorer countries.

That’s according to a report released on Thursday by the World Development Movement, which scrutinises developed countries’ efforts in fighting the effects of climate in the world’s poorest countries.

One of the great successes of Copenhagen was the announcement of $30 billion of new climate finance to be channelled to developing countries over 2010-2012 through the UN Adaptation Fund. But the WDM report reveals that only one percent of the money promised by donors has been delivered.

The UK comes under specific criticism: 90 percent of its climate finance pledges have not been delivered through the UN Adaptation Fund but through the World Bank. Also, 75 percent of those payments were loans that the poorest countries will need to pay back.

It will appear unfair to many that the financial burden of coping with climate damage should fall on the poorest countries when the majority of environmental damage is caused by the richest countries.

Today environment secretary Caroline Spelman will be delivering a speech to the Committee on Climate Change, warning of the unavoidable impacts of climate change on British society and with impeccable timing the Frontline Club we will be holding an event tonight asking what is the human cost of climate change? Come down to discuss these issues and more.

For further information and to book tickets please see here.