UN climate chief reminds rich countries of promised billions in help for poor nations

UN reminds rich countries of climate promises

BERLIN — The outgoing U.N. climate chief says industrialized countries need to live up to their promises of help for poor nations in fighting global warming to make progress toward a climate deal this year.

Yvo de Boer said Tuesday that a new round of expert-level U.N. talks starting in Bonn next week could advance the still-sketchy draft of the envisioned global climate treaty which is to take effect after 2012.

He added, however, that industrialized countries have to make sure they will actually provide the annual $10 billion they promised to poor countries for the next three years.

He said the next major U.N. climate conference in Cancun in December “can deliver if promises of help are kept and if promises to compromise are honored in the negotiations.”