the mif blog

What normally comes to mind when thinking about the nexus between energy, water and climate change?  Probably things like energy-efficient water pumps, solar panels for water purification, or methane recovery in wastewater treatment plants - all routinely discussed in conferences and seminars around the world, and featured in the scientific literature grappling with climate change mitigation and water scarcity issues.

The Copenhagen and Cancun accords of 2009-10 represent key milestones in the international discussion on climate finance, as they set quantitative targets for the volume of financial resources developed countries will need to make available to fund the needed shift to a lower carbon economy. With those agreements, developed countries jointly committed to mobilize 30bn in ‘fast-start’ finance for the three year period 2010 to 2012, and 100bn/year thereafter, to finance climate mitigation and adaptation actions in developing countries. With the period to pledge fast-start finance now closed, and as advanced economies start focusing on how to mobilize $100bn/year by 2020, we at the MIF have been working to ensure that finite resources are spent in an effective, yet timely, manner.