Stoltenberg succeeds Gordon Brown as UN climate group co-chair

gordon-brownNorway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg will assume the role of co-chair of a United Nations climate change focus group. Stoltenberg takes over the position after the departure of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The group has been set up to investigate ways to raise finances that can help poorer nations combat climate change, according to Reuters. “It’s decisive to ensure sufficient financing of measures against climate change in poor nations to get a new international climate deal in place,” said Stoltenberg at his appointment.

In February, Labour leader Gordon Brown was appointed to the high-profile group of 19 leading experts by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Brown was named co-chair along with Ethiopian Premier Meles Zenawi. Stoltenberg, who heads the ruling Norwegian Labour Party, was amongst the members of the panel.

Brown’s defeat in last month’s British elections to Conservative leader David Cameron forced Ban Ki-moon to search for a new co-chair who could seek ways to raise an estimated USD 100 billion per year starting in 2020 to help impoverished nations counter global warming.

“Norway and I have worked on these questions for many years,” Stoltenberg told reporters when asked why he got the job. Last month, Stoltenberg played host to delegates in the Norwegian capital, where USD 4 billion in aid was promised to safeguard tropical forests in developing nations.