It's the industrialized nations that have emitted the elephant's share of climate-changing gases and benefited from the economic wealth produced. Despite the U.S. president's statement that "billions and billions and billions" have gone from U.S. coffers to the Green Climate Fund — set up to achieve some equity for countries that haven't yet polluted their way to modern economic success — of the $3 billion pledged, or $9.30 per citizen, $1 billion has been paid. That's still a lot, as a total of 43 countries have promised $10.1 billion. But, looked at per capita, Luxembourg offered $93.60 and Sweden $60.54.
Raymond Clémençon was a member of the Swiss faction of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), organized in 1991. The multi-nation group, which funded climate projects, evolved into the Green Climate Fund, established during the Copenhagen conference in 2009. It is engaged in projects that range from improving resilience in Vanuatu to agriculture in Namibia and glacial flood risk in Pakistan. Clémençon is now a professor of Global Studies at UCSB and responded to questions in an email exchange with The Santa Barbara Independent.
Trump made much of the U.S. pledge to the Green Climate Fund. What are the group's goals? Some emerging economies could grow their emissions very quickly, and the Green Climate Fund recognizes this. Developed countries have committed to supporting emerging countries financially in their efforts to control emissions and adapt to climate change. This is particularly important to the poorest developing countries whose emissions remain tiny; they are most vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather events but don't have the financial capacity to adapt by making their agriculture and infrastructure climate resilient.