Wealthy nations urged to increase climate aid

PARIS — Major developing countries taking part in climate talks outside Paris are calling on wealthy nations to increase their financial support to help poor countries to cope with global warming.

In a joint statement, the delegations of China, India, Brazil and South Africa urged rich nations to “progressively and substantially scale up their support” beyond their collective pledge of $100 billion in annual climate financing by 2020.

Indian Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters that rich countries “have not made much headway” toward the $100 billion that they pledged in 2009.

Rich countries say they are on track to fulfill that pledge, pointing to an OECD report this year which said climate finance for developing countries reached $62 billion last year.

The rich nations are also encouraging some major developing nations including China to join the donors. China has pledged more than $3 billion in climate finance but stresses it’s a voluntary contribution.