CHOGM: India has announced $2.5 million in aid for CLIMATE CHANGE

India has announced $2.5 million in aid for the small states in the Commonwealth to help them combat climate change in the 24th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting or CHOGM. Leaders from 53 Commonwealth countries, including India, are meeting in Malta for the biennial summit of the bloc amid unprecedented security to explore concerted global efforts to deal with terrorism and climate change.

CHOGM is held after every two years and the theme for this year’s meeting is ‘Adding Global Value’. India has announced $ 2.5 million in aid for the small states in the Commonwealth to help them combat climate change.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, British Prime Minister David Cameron are among the leaders attending the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Points To Note

• Commonwealth has decided to set up the trade finance facility to help the poor nations introduce clean energy and bring down green-house gas emissions.

• Canada has pledged $2 billion assistance to help poor countries in their quest for limiting green-house gas emissions.

• Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Friday unveiled a $1 billion Commonwealth Green Finance Facility to support environmental projects in poor member countries of the bloc.

• Separately, the UK has committed 21 million pounds for disaster management and 5.5 million pounds for the ocean-based economy. Australia has committed $1 million for a new Commonwealth idea — a Climate Finance Access Hub.