Climate Change Discussions

World leaders will be talking about climate, early next week at the United Nations and then during the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh a few days later. The G20 leaders will discuss climate change financing.....how to help developing nations pay for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Alden Meyer, Director of Strategy and Policy with the Union of Concerned Scientists, says its important that the leaders follow through on pledges made by their representatives 2 years ago at the Bali Climate Conference. Meyer says there needs to be a rapid ramp up in assistance for developing nations.

"This is not foreign aid or a handout. It's a strategic investment in global economic prosperity, clean energy development and environmental security. There can be expanding markets for clean energy technology in developing countries that can benefit companies that produce and export these technologies."

David Waskow, Climate Change Program Director of Oxfam America, says it's not necessary to have a hard figure from the G20 leaders on financial assistance to the developing nations efforts to curb emissions, but it is important to get a commitment from them.