UN panel sees private help key to fulfill $100 billion climate pledge

UN eyes private help in $100 billion climate aid

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. chief says a panel of advisers that includes the prime ministers of Ethiopia and Norway is considering tapping private sources to fulfill a pledge at Copenhagen to provide $100 billion in climate aid.

Ban Ki-moon told reporters Tuesday he suspects that “both private and public funds would be necessary” to generate $100 billion a year. He did not specify what sort of private funds might be sought — individual, corporate or other sources — to help developing countries deal with rising sea levels, drought and other effects of rising temperatures.

A $30 billion annual fund, increasing to $100 billion by 2020, was key to the deal brokered by the U.S., China and other major developing countries at the U.N.-led climate summit in the Danish capital last December.