11 hours Ago By National Post View
Yet another blank cheque has been requested from Canada and its rich allies of the world. At last week’s COP29 climate talks, hosted by Azerbaijan, negotiations have been trying to squeeze out a commitment from the global rich to fund the clean energy and climate transition for the global poor. As if we don’t spend enough on a multitude of boutique aid projects already.
The poor countries and experts who support them hope to receive at least $1 trillion per year — with United Nations Trade and Development asking specifically for $1.46 trillion annually by 2030, on par with wealthy countries’ military spending — from their rich counterparts for the item of COP-related climate concessions. The global rich, on the other hand, are only willing to spend a “few hundred billion” on the matter, which is still arguably a lot — more than the $100 billion previously agreed to in 2009.
Under that goal, Canada already pledged $5.3 billion in 2021 over five years to the cause of climate finance. At very least, the COP talks were fruitless this round.
The global rich haven’t caved. Yet. But their record, including that of Canada, shows a near inability to say “no.
” If you look at what’s already been spent, it seems like no amount of aid will ever satisfy the demands of green activists and countries in need. Some of the big grants so far: In 2020, a whopping $410 million was provided to the World Bank to, among other things, “support renewable energy in small island developing states.” Numerous United Nations funds reap the benefits of global patron states as well.
In 2024, $234 million was granted by Canada to the UN Green Climate Fund, for example, which gives climate adaptation funds to poor island nations, “least developed countries” and Africa. It’s supported agriculture in Somalia , EV infrastructure in Latin America and many more similar initiatives. A sister UN project, the Least Developed Countries Fund, which “addresses the needs of the 47 least developed countries that are especially vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change,” received $38 million from Canada in 2022.
All of that is on top of our African , Asian and Caribbean development bank donations in the hundreds of millions, our many gifts to climate-related NGO initiatives and grants directly to poor countries like Ghana. Indeed, in 2017, Ghana received $125 million from the Canadian government to create a “gender-sensitive and climate-smart” curriculum for agricultural colleges (among other things). Funding packages large and small have been sent to these very same nations under the guise of other on-trend causes.
Gender equity is a big one, with women’s initiatives soaking up a ton of cash abroad. Tanzania’s health system has benefitted from $75 million in Canadian funds for initiatives like “supporting the strengthening health facility governance committees (including to enhance women’s participation).” In West Africa, $16 million has supported “feminist climate action.
” Meanwhile, the LGBT community across the world have enjoyed Canadian generosity: those in Peru , South Africa , Pakistan and Jamaica , being some recipients of grants in the $5-9 million range. Global Affairs Canada has even provided more narrowly targeted money for an Armenian “workshop for transgender activists, art and advocacy campaign,” a Malaysian transgender “leadership development mentoring program,” various “transgender-led interventions to improve health outcomes in Belize ” and a job-seeking program for transgender individuals in Thailand . Niche projects are a common theme within Canadian aid-giving: $850,000 of Canadian funds once went toward a billboard campaign against outdoor defecation in Ghana — which attracted some questions when it came to public attention in 2018.
To an extent, it feels heartless to contemplate the revocation of funds that have been given out in the past. As tight as the budget can feel in Canada, we are still very much aware that we’re still one of the most wealthy countries in the world. If anyone can give when it’s needed, it’s us.
We should take pride in that: in the face of disaster and disease, this country is uniquely capable of providing relief. That’s a tremendously good thing from just a moral standpoint, and it comes with the additional benefit of soft power. But it can also be true that our tendency to give is leading to us being walked all over, and that our contributions to some of these giant feel-good funds simply aren’t necessary.
Canada has already offered up billions in climate assistance, which often helps developing countries build out energy infrastructure and assists with their agricultural production — projects that were inspiring charity appeals to the West long before the climate became a concern. Instead of “thank you,” we’re being told that an order of magnitude more in cash is going to be needed soon. Canada has already dumped money by the truckful into the developing world.
At some point, we need to call it enough. National Post.
