Vulnerable countries make carbon neutral pledge

 

A group of 11 poor countries that are likely to be severely affected by climate change have pledged to become carbon neutral, and challenged the rest of the world to match them. The move is designed as an appeal to developed nations ahead of December’s UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen.

 

The 11 counties have banded together to form a group called the Climate Vulnerable Forum, or V11 for short. The Forum is lead by the Maldives President Nasheed, who recently held a cabinet meeting underwater in order to highlight the plight that will befall his island nation if global warming is not stopped. Other nations participating in the V11 Group include Bangladesh, Vietnam and the Pacific island of Kiribati.

 

After their first meeting, the V11 Group also called on rich nations to give 1.5% of their GDP to help developing nations to meet the challenge of global warming, and for tougher limits on carbon emissions.

 

"They (the V11 group) are saying 'getting a good deal for us means survival, but you (rich countries) seem to be coming to the table only with what's feasible domestically' - and there is another reality that trumps domestic political realities," said Saleemul Huq, senior fellow in climate change at the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development.