Australia commits $150m to climate finance for vulnerable Pacific countries

The narrowest part of Tuvalu’s Funafuti island. Australia has pledged $150m in climate finance to Pacific countries being damaged in the climate crisis. Photograph: Kalolaine Fainu/The Guardian

The Australian government has pledged A$150m climate finance for Pacific countries but has not contributed to a newly created global loss and damage fund.

Nearly 200 countries reached an historic consensus agreement on the first day of the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai to set up the loss and damage fund to help the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries pay for the irreversible impacts of climate disaster.