CRI听力:Developing Countries Most Affected by Climate Change

At the COP21 Climate Change Summit in Paris, finance is one of the most difficult topics facing ministers here.

There is a growing concern that without a working agreement on finance, the most vulnerable countries will be hit the hardest by the effects of climate change.

Managers from the Climate Investment Funds, or CIFs are attending the talks in Paris, to emphasis how important funding is for developing countries, as Mafalda Duarte, from CIF explains.

"The gap is large. Obviously we're talking here in terms of COP21 at least meeting 100billion dollars, at least some of those flows should be going through adaptation but that's just one part of the story, the needs, in particular in the most vulnerable countries, least developed countries and small island states are very large."

The Climate Investment Funds have established a Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience, which assists developing countries in putting in place frameworks for climate resilience and helps them cope with changing climates.

Zambia is one country that has benefited from the Climate Resilience fund, as David Kaluba a Principal Economist and advisor to Zambia's Climate Change Secretariat explains.

"We need resources to adapt because the impacts are not slowing down, they are growing, but having more than 90 million US dollars to work with is also a great benefit and this I would say in a more affordable way, because we are accessing a larger chunk of grants, largely around 50 million in grants but also cheaper bonds in around about 40 million dollars. So this is, for climate change, this is a huge benefit."

But industry experts argue that funds, like these, designed to allow developing countries to implement climate change resistance measures are far too low.

They're hoping to see bigger financial commitments from ministers at the Climate Change Summit in Paris, but are sceptical about what can be achieved.

As Mafalda Durante of the Climate Investment Funds explains.

"It's such big issue because developing countries do need support, they re going to be the most exposed to the impacts at the same time they are expected to be making such significant investments in terms of infrastructure and other kinds of investment and it's important that they make the investment choices that will lead us to the below 2 degree target, so they do need support to make those choices in terms of what type of investments they make, which technologies will they invest in".

Engaging the private sector in climate resilience and adaptation is also an important goal for industry experts to pursue.

But in Paris the amount of money richer countries are prepared to pay developing countries to help them deal with global warming, is likely to continue to emendate negotiations at the COP21 Climate Change Summit.

For CRI, I'm Natalie Powell in Paris