Visiting Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen, who chaired a U.N. climate summit in Copenhagen last December, called Tuesday for the early implementation of financial aid worth $30 billion pledged by rich countries to help poor nations grapple with the impact of climate change.
In an interview in Tokyo, the prime minister said that although the U.N. talks failed to adopt a major accord brokered by some 30 key players, the so-called fast-start financing covering a three-year period through 2012 under the accord should be fulfilled as early as possible to facilitate future climate negotiations.
"What I think is necessary and important is that . . . we try to implement whatever can be implemented immediately, especially the fast-start money, because it will send a clear signal to the developing countries that the developed world is ready to fulfill our promises made in Copenhagen," Rasmussen said.