Japan to pledge up to $1.5bn for Green Climate Fund

Japan plans to pay up to 1.5 billion dollars into the UN-backed Green Climate Fund to help developing countries cut their emissions and tackle global warming, a news report said Friday.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to announce the contribution at a G20 summit of the world's leading economies this weekend in Brisbane, Australia, the Kyodo News agency reported, citing unnamed sources.
The fund is designed to help developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
At least 10 countries, including France, Germany, Sweden and South Korea, have so far pledged a total of 2.9 billion dollars for the fund, dpa reported.
Hela Cheikhrouhou, the fund's executive director, says it needs initial funding of 10 billion dollars.
Its first pledging conference will be held next week in Germany, and contributions to the fund will be one of the major topics at a UN climate meeting in December in Peru.