INTERVIEW: Climate finance gap for Pacific nations revealed in new report

A new report has calculated how much annual climate finance is needed to flow from rich nations to Pacific countries. The funds would help speed up the energy transition, address climate impacts, and deal with climate-related loss and damage. The report by Caritas Australia and the Jubilee Australia Research Centre finds that around US$1.5 billion is needed annually to meet the climate finance needs for Pacific nations. The current gap or shortfall is calculated to be two-thirds of that amount. Report co-author Damian Spruce from Caritas Australia spoke to Biwa Kwan about the report's findings as world leaders at COP29 negotiate a deal for a new climate finance target.