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The Climate Finance Advisory Service will provide a rapid response to questions from developing nations
U.N. climate talks are fiendishly difficult to follow - even for specialist officials. That puts many of the poorest nations on the back foot since they can only afford to field smaller teams who must grapple with a range of highly technical issues.
Now negotiators from developing states are being offered tailored advice aimed at boosting their influence in the tough global talks on climate finance, under an initiative launched by the UK-based Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) at this year's climate conference in Qatar.
The Climate Finance Advisory Service will provide a rapid response to complex, urgent issues encountered by low-income nations during the U.N. negotiations and meetings of the fledgling Green Climate Fund, as well as in between sessions.
Negotiators, policy makers and their advisors can pose specific questions to experts from CDKN and a global alliance led by the Bonn-based environment and development group Germanwatch. When not confidential, the answers will be published on an online platform to benefit a wider audience of developing country users.
The service will also provide briefings ahead of key meetings and more in-depth research.
AlertNet's Megan Rowling spoke to Ari Huhtala, CDKN's director of policy and programmes, in Doha about how the advisory service will work, and what it hopes to achieve.
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