Development finance and climate finance can be separated -Ban Ki-moon

Provision of adaptation support and resilient building for the most vulnerable and developing countries must beprioritised at the ongoing climate changetalks in Lima, Peru, says UNSecretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.
He therefore wants tangible progress madeby the 20th session ofthe Conferenceof the Parties (COP20) to the UNFCCC in solidifying the climatefinance regime.
The Secretary-General describes the initial capitalisation of nearly $10 billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as a positivestepbut he is concernedthat “our collective action does not matchour common responsibilities”.
“I call on countries that have not yetpledged to the GreenClimate Fund to considermaking an ambitious financial commitmentin Lima,” he said. “We must also clearly define a pathway for achieving the goal of $100 billion by 2020 in support of developing countries.”
Ban Ki-moon also urged the private sector to leverageon the $200 billion commitmentat the Climate Summit in New York last September.
According tohim, issues of climatefinance should not betreatedseparately from developmentfinance since “combating climate changeis an essentialpart of the foundation of sustainable development; we cannot treatit as a separateissue or we risk losing all hard won developmentgains ofthe past decade”.
The Union of ConcernedScientists wants Ministers of States arriving for the talks to exerttheirinfluence and provide much-needed political guidance to negotiators over the coming days.
“These include the need to make sure that national emissions reduction pledges are put forward every five years, starting for 2025, so that climate action is scaled up frequently, as well as setting clear expectationsfor countries putting forward fair but differentiatedclimate action contributions that reflecttheir varying capacities and responsibility for causing climatechange,” said Directorof Strategy and Policy, Alden Meyer.
Ban Ki-moon wants Lima to deliver a balanced, well-structured and coherentdrafted textthat provides a solid foundation for the 2015 negotiations on agreementsto be reached in Paris. A common understanding must also bereached on the scope and status of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).
He says by acting now, “We can build more resilience, prosperousand healthy societies” and urged all societiesto be part of the solution to lower global warning below 2oC.