OTTAWA, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Canada will provide aid to
developing countries to combat climate change, Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau announced on Friday ahead of talks on global
warming, which he has promised will show the country is serious
about tackling the issue.
Canada will give C$2.65 billion ($1.98 billion) over the
next five years, the newly elected Trudeau announced during a
trip to Malta, where he was meeting the heads of Commonwealth
countries.
The funding will help support the transition to low-carbon
economies and will target the poorest and most vulnerable
countries. The contribution is part of an agreement Canada made
in 2009 to work with developed countries to provide $100 billion
a year by 2020 from various sources.
Taking more aggressive action on climate change was a major
part of Trudeau's campaign ahead of the October election that
ousted the former Conservative government, which was criticized
for not doing enough to combat global warming.
"Canada is back and ready to play its part in combating
climate change, and this includes helping the poorest and most
vulnerable countries in the world adapt," Trudeau said in a
statement.
Trudeau will attend a United Nations environmental summit in
Paris next week. While he will not provide a new greenhouse
emissions target, he has committed to coming up with a goal with
Canada's provinces within 90 days of returning from the talks.
The question of aid for developing countries is separate
from that of what the world will do to fight global warming, and
opposition New Democratic Party leader Thomas Mulcair criticized
Trudeau on Friday for not toughening the pledge made under
former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to cut
greenhouse gas emissions to 30 percent below 2005 levels by
2030.
"Canadians who voted for change are disappointed to learn
that Prime Minister Trudeau will go to Paris with the same
targets as former Prime Minister Harper," Mulcair told a news
conference.
($1 = 1.3362 Canadian dollars)