The Green Climate Fund is slashing its pipeline, while the US reneges on a funding promise from years ago.
African governments tried to block the US from co-chairing the board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), citing its failure to deliver cash.
Developed countries have nominated Victoria Gunderson of the US Treasury to co-lead deliberations for the UN’s flagship climate fund in 2023. These appointments are generally approved without discussion.
On behalf of the African board members, Kenyan environmental officer Pacifica Ogola raised an official objection. The US has contributed just $1 billion to the fund in its 12-year history, compared with $9 billion from EU countries and $3 billion from Japan. Another $2 billion promised by former President Barack Obama was never delivered. His successors Donald Trump and Joe Biden have not paid a penny.
Ogola stressed, in a letter dated January 16, the responsibility of rich countries to inject money into the GCF and called for better compliance with commitments. Approving Gunderson’s role should not “normalize the situation” for those who do not pay and have influence over decisions, he argued.
The outgoing co-chairs persuaded the African members not to veto the appointment, confident that the board would discuss their broader concerns.
In March 2022, GCF executive director Yannick Glemarec warned that without more resources, the fund would have to strictly ration support for carbon reduction projects in the developing world. “Some detour will be inevitable,” he said. “It’s one of my fears.”
US scope
A week after the African members raised the objection, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited a project in Zambia to help farmers adapt to the climate crisis.
“The project we visited today helps small farmers… It is funded by the Green Climate Fund, which the United States is proud to be a part of.”
Read US Treasury @SecYellenComments during your visit to the GCF-@UNDPZambia #climateaction project: https://t.co/YIZF9yT910 pic.twitter.com/Xf2sUwT5vr
— Green Climate Fund (@theGCF) January 26, 2023
Yellen told reporters: “It is funded by the Green Climate Fund, which the United States is proud to be a part of. We are committed to making sure the Fund has sufficient resources to carry out this important work.”
The GCF is organizing its next regular request for donations at the end of 2023.
In December 2022, Congress did not earmark any funding for the GCF in the government’s fiscal year 2023 budget. There is enough leeway in the spending bill that a contribution is still possible, but the Republican majority in the House is expected to resist.
Liane Schalatek speaks on behalf of civil society as a GCF board observer. “The objection highlights the expectation placed on a developed country chairing the replenishment to go deeper with its own contributions,” she said.
During the last GCF grant call in 2019, the UK, as co-chair of the board, made the largest contribution. But “it is doubtful that the United States can replicate the example of the United Kingdom,” Schalatek added.
