Poland blocks EU climate funding decision

EU employers' organisation BusinessEurope argued that the EU finance ministers' failure to agree on climate funding would not be the biggest impediment to an agreement in Copenhagen. "We're much more worried about the commitment by the US and China. We think the EU already has strong targets," said Folker Franz, senior adviser at BusinessEurope.

NGOs, however, slammed the decision, warning that the EU's procrastination would jeopardise a deal with other countries in Copenhagen.

WWF  expressed its disappointment that even prolonged discussions couldn't produce conclusions on funding for developing countries. It said that environment ministers and the European Council would now have to agree on a "strong common position". 

"Without this strong common position, EU leadership at the Copenhagen climate talks in December will not be credible, endangering the outcome of the talks," said Jason Anderson, head of European climate and energy policy at WWF.

Friends of the Earth Europe argued that the EU must stop stalling on funding and show that it is "serious about ending the stalemate in the international negotiations". "To keep hopes alive of a just global agreement on climate change Europe must provide its fair share of the finances needed," said Sonja Meister, climate campaign coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe.

Greenpeace called on the EU heads of state and government to step up to the plate with binding commitments to emissions cuts and a contribution to climate action in the developing world. "Climate funding for developing nations is a make-or-break issue for a global climate agreement. Instead of laying the foundations of a global climate agreement, finance ministers have only brought the catastrophic effects of climate change one step closer," said Greenpeace EU's Joris den Blanken.

Oxfam blamed "classic internal EU bickering" of blocking progress. "After the decisions on last year's Climate Package, this is déjà vu – with Poland and Germany again taking the EU to the brink before an agreement is found. But this year, such brinkmanship is a serious risk to a fair and safe outcome to the Copenhagen climate summit, on which the fate of millions of poor people around the world depends," said Elise Ford, head of Oxfam International's EU office.

Green MEPs Satu Hassi (Finland) and Bas Eickhout (Netherlands) said the finance ministers' meeting was another "shameful farce". 

"Instead of making a clear commitment on climate financing, the EU is still dealing in postponed promises and IOUs. The buck must stop at next week's summit of EU leaders," they said. "For the EU to take a fair share of the responsibility, it must contribute at least €30 billion per annum by 2020 – as voted yesterday in the EU Parliament's environment committee – in addition to overseas development aid and separate from annual budgetary procedures."

Leftist MEPs called for solidarity with the developing world on climate change.

MEP Bairbre de Brún (GUE/NGL, Ireland) pointed out developing countries are not responsible for climate change but suffer the worst consequences. "One of the most important yardsticks in assessing any agreement in Copenhagen will be how it helps developing countries tackle climate change. There is no time to lose - international action must be ambitious or we will face disaster," she said.

MEP Kartika Liotard (GUE/NGL, Netherlands) criticised the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol, saying that it was "not working properly as it finances projects in order to emit even more CO2".

MEP João Ferreira (GUE/NGL, Protugal) criticised the EU's focus on market solutions in the fight against climate change. "The main tool put forward by the EU is the carbon market but I think this will only stand in the way of a paradigm shift in our thinking. The ETS (emissions trading scheme) didn't reduce emissions. Our focus is too market based," he said.

MEP Marisa Matias (GUE/NGL, Portugal) argued that the EU's credibility on fundamental issues requires that financing be looked at. "There are estimates that say we need €120bn per annum to give to developing countries to help them fight climate change so we need serious resources and courage to take on these problems," she said.

Environmental health groups expressed dismay that the health impact of climate change has not been recognised by the European Parliament, despite the tabling of several amendements on the subject. 

Healthcare Withouth Harm and the Health & Environment Alliance (HEAL) said climate change could reverse progress made in reaching the public health elements of the Millennium Development Goals.