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New Zealand is not keeping its promises on climate change when it comes to helping finance the adaptation of poorer countries to a warming world, according to an Oxfam report.
A new report says the country’s climate finance has “stagnated” in recent years, putting it far behind compared countries in per capita terms.
According to the report, Standing With The Frontlines, New Zealand is ranked 21st out of 23 highly developed countries in total funding provided between 2017 and 2018 in per capita terms. That equates to each citizen donating NZ $ 10.60 per capita per year in climate finance, or just under NZ $ 51 million per year in total.
Climate finance refers to the financing of initiatives that contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries.
Last week, New Zealand declared a climate change emergency and committed to a carbon neutral government by 2025, in what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called “one of the greatest challenges of our time” saying the country must “act urgently”.
Yet despite the government’s goal of providing NZ $ 75 million a year in climate finance through 2022, Oxfam says New Zealand remains far behind in contributing its fair share. As part of the Paris Agreement, nations agreed to work to contribute $ 100 billion a year in climate finance.
Oxfam estimates that New Zealand’s share should range from NZ $ 301.5 million to NZ $ 540 million annually.
The countries with the highest per capita contributions far outnumber New Zealand with contributions between US $ 40 and US $ 96 per person. Even countries of similar size, such as Ireland and Denmark, make contributions of US $ 14 and US $ 27 per person, respectively.
“Compared to other high-income countries, when you factor in population, New Zealand is not a generous donor of climate finance,” said Alex Johnston, campaign leader at Oxfam New Zealand.
Johnston said New Zealand has a moral obligation to developing countries to increase their climate finance.
“New Zealand’s funding for climate action abroad is a crucial way we can support those on the front lines of climate change. The way we deliver climate finance in the form of grants and with a large proportion towards adaptation makes us a role model for other nations ”.
He said the money being released for these efforts is not enough, and said funding levels need to be doubled along with a proportionally increasing aid budget, to $ 150 million per year.
“In the glow of a symbolic step to declare a climate change emergency, we are calling on the New Zealand government to increase its climate financial contributions to meet the urgent action threshold and provide the vital support to developing countries that was promised.” .
The Guardian has approached the government for comment.
