Richer nations that have a historical legacy of pollution must do more to finance developing countries' efforts to adapt their practices, according to Bangladesh's foreign minister, who said the level of commitment so far at COP26 was "not acceptable."
Part of Bangladesh's negotiating team at the UN climate summit, AK Abdul Momen has been in talks with international representatives over a potential global pact that could help avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
Speaking to CGTN Europe on Wednesday, Momen said there was still time for leaders to make progress, but "we are not very hopeful."
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"We were expecting at that this time, the leadership would commit to [limiting temperature rises to] 1.5 degrees Celsius, that there would be a roadmap as to how to achieve that goal," he said, referring to the target of capping global warming above pre-industrial levels, the limit for avoiding its most disastrous consequences.
"Unfortunately, that's missing," he said. One of the key problems is the lack of funding.
"Developing countries have asked, as per the Paris Agreement, for the allocation of $100 billion from this year, each year [from richer nations]," said Momen.
"That has been delayed, and they are saying they may start giving it in 2023. That's not acceptable," he added.
The politician stressed that developed countries had to come forward with "technology transfer" and "concessionary financing" so poorer nations could move towards using more renewable energy. But financing adaptation will likely not be enough on its own.
Bangladesh is the current president of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), a group of 55 nations that are particularly at risk from climate change.
Already at threat from rising sea levels, cyclones, droughts, and flooding, it's estimated that by 2050, one in seven people in Bangladesh will be displaced by climate change.
The CVF is consequently demanding developed nations also do much more to pay for the disproportionate losses inflicted on poorer countries by the climate crisis.
"Climate migrants and people who are displaced from their homes, from their traditional jobs, there must be a mechanism for their rehabilitation," said Momen.
"Developing countries must not face this music alone," he added. "There must be a sharing of the burden – and this has not yet been met."