Australia donates to Green Climate Fund

Australia pledged 200 million Australian dollars ($165 million US) to the UN-backed Green Climate Fund on Wednesday, created to help developing nations cope with global warming.

After bowing to international pressure, Australia's surprise donation meant that a UN goal of $10 billion was also achieved during global climate talks in Lima, Peru. The country had previously been left looking conspicuous for not chipping in, after donations were made by the US and Japan, as well as the UK, France and Canada.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said: "We've seen things develop over the last few months. I think it's now fair and reasonable for the government to make a modest, prudent and proportionate commitment to this climate mitigation fund. I think that is something that a sensible government does."

"The pledge to the Green Climate Fund will facilitate private sector led economic growth in the Indo-Pacific region with a particular focus on investment in infrastructure, energy, forestry and emissions reduction programs," he added.

Poor performance

The donation from Australia came after the 2014 Climate Change Performance Index ranked the country as the worst performing industrial state in terms of climate change in 2014.

With its use of coal-fired power and relatively small population of 23 million, Australia is one of the world's worst greenhouse gas polluters per capita and has become increasingly isolated over its perceived reluctance to do more to tackle the climate threat.

Abbott once said climate change science was "crap" and recently insisted that coal was "good for humanity."

The Green Climate Fund is a plan, agreed in 2009, for wealthy countries to help poorer ones become greener and bolster their defenses against the effects of climate change.

ksb/lw (Reuters, AFP)