N4C’s spokespeople respond to two landmark climate moments

N4C’s spokespeople responded to two landmark climate moments. Climate finance continues to be the central issue in how the global community proposes to follow through with implementation of the Paris Agreement. In addition, the European Union announced its aim to become the world’s first climate neutral economy by 2050.

Peter Wheeler, Executive Vice President of The Nature Conservancy
Member of the Nature4Climate initiative, in response to the latest Climate Policy Initiative’s Global Landscape of Climate Finance (P12):

“Nature has been the forgotten solution to climate change for far too long, but the Climate Policy Initiative report shows this is finally starting to change with $1 billion more government funding for natural climate solutions in 2016/17, a 30% increase. At the same time, the land sector accounts for under 1% of public funding for emissions reductions, when it could deliver a third of the solution by 2030. We need urgently to expand capital flows into forestry and agriculture if we are to be successful in the fight against climate change. The upcoming climate talks offer a great opportunity to agree on guidance that would release huge amounts of new finance that would also boost rural development.”

Statement from Luc Bas, Director European Regional Office, International Union for Conservation of Nature
Member of the Nature4Climate initiative, in response to the release of the EU long-term climate strategy:

“The strategy sends a vital signal that increasing climate ambition is both necessary and possible, and that natural climate solutions are integral to that. The land sector is included in all pathways for well below 2°C and 1.5°C and there is recognition of its role in carbon removals. Governments with large natural carbon sinks and high natural climate solutions potential should follow the EU’s lead, and help deliver the comprehensive approach to emissions reduction to prevent the most damaging aspects of climate change.”