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| EU's climate aid pledge dismissed | EU's climate aid pledge dismissed |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Developing countries and aid agencies have derided the latest pledges by richer states to tackle global warming. | Developing countries and aid agencies have derided the latest pledges by richer states to tackle global warming. |
| EU leaders ended a summit in Brussels having agreed to pay 7.2bn euros (£6.5bn; $10.6bn) over three years to help poorer nations cope with climate change. | EU leaders ended a summit in Brussels having agreed to pay 7.2bn euros (£6.5bn; $10.6bn) over three years to help poorer nations cope with climate change. |
| The EU contribution is part of a global "fast start" package being debated at the UN Copenhagen summit. | The EU contribution is part of a global "fast start" package being debated at the UN Copenhagen summit. |
| But leaders of poorer nations described the sum as inadequate. | But leaders of poorer nations described the sum as inadequate. |
| The 7.2bn euros is Europe's contribution to a proposed package of $10bn (7bn euros) a year designed to help Africa, island nations and other vulnerable states cope with climate change from next January until 2012. | The 7.2bn euros is Europe's contribution to a proposed package of $10bn (7bn euros) a year designed to help Africa, island nations and other vulnerable states cope with climate change from next January until 2012. |
| Climate activists are piling pressure on world leaders attending Copenhagen | Climate activists are piling pressure on world leaders attending Copenhagen |
| The money could help them boost coastal protection, deal with droughts, prevent deforestation and use more solar and wind energy. | The money could help them boost coastal protection, deal with droughts, prevent deforestation and use more solar and wind energy. |
| Groups representing poorer nations most at risk from climate change added their voices to the call for a bigger financial commitment. | Groups representing poorer nations most at risk from climate change added their voices to the call for a bigger financial commitment. |
| Bruno Tseliso Sekoli, chairman of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) bloc, told the BBC that the EU pledge "cannot be enough for the purpose of meeting the requirements of the LDCs". | Bruno Tseliso Sekoli, chairman of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) bloc, told the BBC that the EU pledge "cannot be enough for the purpose of meeting the requirements of the LDCs". |
| "Any money that would flow from the developed to developing worlds would be welcome but these numbers are very, very low," he said. | "Any money that would flow from the developed to developing worlds would be welcome but these numbers are very, very low," he said. |
| Dessima Williams, chairwoman of the Alliance of Small Island States (Aosis), said even the global sum on the table at Copenhagen was not enough. | Dessima Williams, chairwoman of the Alliance of Small Island States (Aosis), said even the global sum on the table at Copenhagen was not enough. |
| "We just had a (Commonwealth) meeting in Trinidad where the figure of $10bn per year was put on the table and that was woefully inadequate," she said. | "We just had a (Commonwealth) meeting in Trinidad where the figure of $10bn per year was put on the table and that was woefully inadequate," she said. |
| "One cannot do sustainable development - making the transformations in energy for example - with such a small pot of money." | "One cannot do sustainable development - making the transformations in energy for example - with such a small pot of money." |
| 'Recycled' money | 'Recycled' money |
| Some aid groups said the EU pledges included funds from existing budgets. | Some aid groups said the EU pledges included funds from existing budgets. |
| This money is not even new - it's made up of a recycling of past promises, and payments that have already been made Tim GoreOxfam EU climate change adviser UK-French rivalry set aside | |
| Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose nation held the rotating EU presidency during the summit, acknowledged that the pledges were "a combination of new and old resources". | Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose nation held the rotating EU presidency during the summit, acknowledged that the pledges were "a combination of new and old resources". |
| "Almost all of the money is likely to be simply a relabelling of existing aid commitments," said Anne-Catherine Claude, of ActionAid. | "Almost all of the money is likely to be simply a relabelling of existing aid commitments," said Anne-Catherine Claude, of ActionAid. |
| "Many EU members have a track record of repackaging or re-announcing existing aid commitments. This appears to be the case here too," she added. | "Many EU members have a track record of repackaging or re-announcing existing aid commitments. This appears to be the case here too," she added. |
| Oxfam EU climate change adviser Tim Gore was also disappointed. | Oxfam EU climate change adviser Tim Gore was also disappointed. |
| "In Brussels today, EU leaders only offered small sums of short-term cash. Worst of all, this money is not even new - it's made up of a recycling of past promises, and payments that have already been made," he added. | "In Brussels today, EU leaders only offered small sums of short-term cash. Worst of all, this money is not even new - it's made up of a recycling of past promises, and payments that have already been made," he added. |
| 'Fair share' | 'Fair share' |
| Announcing the deal at the Brussels summit, Mr Reinfeldt said all 27 EU member nations would contribute and that the EU was doing its "fair share". | Announcing the deal at the Brussels summit, Mr Reinfeldt said all 27 EU member nations would contribute and that the EU was doing its "fair share". |
| The UK was the largest contributor at £500m ($800m; 553m euros) a year followed by France and Germany. | The UK was the largest contributor at £500m ($800m; 553m euros) a year followed by France and Germany. |
| Eastern European countries, which had protested they were too poor to pay, have also made contributions although some are merely symbolic, says the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels. | Eastern European countries, which had protested they were too poor to pay, have also made contributions although some are merely symbolic, says the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels. |
| Many, like Poland, say they are unable to give cash and have offered instead a percentage of the future sale of unused carbon credits. | Many, like Poland, say they are unable to give cash and have offered instead a percentage of the future sale of unused carbon credits. |
| But diplomats admit there is no guarantee how many of those will be sold, our correspondent adds. | But diplomats admit there is no guarantee how many of those will be sold, our correspondent adds. |