November 14, 2011

Statement by UK at Climate Vulnerable Forum, Dhaka, 14 November 2011

The UK fully supports this third meeting of the Climate Vulnerable Forum. We are delighted that Bangladesh is hosting, awareness raising and encouraging greater dynanism and intent amongst CVF members. Bangladesh´s own leadership and thorough embracing of the climate and green growth debates is compelling. It is therefore a fitting showcase for these two days of discussion.

The UK is struck by this meeting´s resolve to reaffirm the CVF´s desire for influence. Also, the determination to move from what the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh called “conference room rhetoric” to a more proactive and coherent messaging. In supporting the CVF from its inception, UK hears your voice. We are encouraged by your willingness to take action yourselves, however small. We believe this will truly transform the moral and financial imperative into progressive and sustained impact.

It is right that the developed world takes responsibility. The UK supports your powerful message of equity. But we cannot do it alone. We would now urge you to widen your pressure to include all major emmiters, including developing countries. In this we are your allies too. UK believes that only by all major emmiters being bound to targets under a legally binding instrument is the only – and most cost effective way – of delivering our shared 2 degrees C goal.

Together, the CVF family can – and should – use a sequence of events (such as CHOGM, SAARC, CVF) around which to further coalesce and seek convergence on key issues. This in turn can only strengthen your powerful voice in a wide range of international fora, and encourage interregionality in a positive and creative way. This will not only prove invaluable within the context of the UNFCCC negotiations, but also lay a solid foundation for the CVF´s long term sustainablilty and direction.

“It is right that the developed world takes responsibility. The UK supports your powerful message of equity. But we cannot do it alone.“ The UK also hears your voice on concerns around funding. UK is proud to live up to its Copenhagen and Cancún commitments in supporting developing countries’ fight against climate change and helping them adapt to it effects. We are on track to fully meet our Fast Start pledge to deliver GBP1.5bn of international climate finance by 2012. UK was also the first country to pledge climate finance beyond 2012, and has allocated GBP2.9bn through to March 2015. On long term finance, UK welcomes the work of the Transistional Committee to design the Green Climate Fund, and are commited, with other developed countries, to jointly mobilising $100bn per year for developing countries by 2020. One way to achieve this will be through leveraging sources of private sector finance. This will be enabled through greater political certainty around the negotiations process – another reason why we must strive together for a global deal.

The UK congratulates Bangladesh on a successful meeting. We are proud that we were able to support you through CDKN, and applaud the vision and determination so manifest here in Dhaka. We look forward to hearing a reinvigorated collective CVF voice carried loud and high in Durban, and beyond.

See the latest updates from the Climate Vulnerable Forum 2011 in Dhaka