Vulnerable nations meet to discuss climate change

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged world leaders today to finalize the financing for a multibillion-dollar fund to fight the effects of climate change. Ban was speaking at the opening session of a climate meeting in Bangladesh where representatives of about 30 nations are meeting to formulate a united stand on funding for plans to limit the damage from global warming. The countries from Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific are also seeking action by industrialized nations to cut carbon emissions and provide technical and financial support.

“They have very real fears that if temperatures continue to rise, if nothing is done to stop man-made global warming, that their very countries will disappear,” said Christian Aid’s Andrew Hogg.

The Climate Vulnerable Forum is meeting ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference being held in Durban, South Africa at the end of the month. The Conference will bring together representatives of the world's governments, international organizations and civil society to discuss the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, as well as other environmental agreements.

Mr. Hogg spoke about the importance fighting climate change for the vulnerable nations meeting in Bangladesh, “For these people, what happens in South Africa later this month, when the next UN summit takes place, is literally a matter of life and death for their communities,” said Mr.Hogg.

Listen to the full interview of Christian Aid’s Andrew Hogg with Christopher Wells: