Donors discuss green climate fund

November 20th, 2014 (VOA) Officials from a group of wealthy countries are meeting in Berlin to discuss a fund to help developing countries deal with climate change.

The meeting Thursday comes days after President Barack Obama announced that the United States will contribute $3 billion to a so-called Green Climate Fund. The goal is $10 billion.

Obama said the Green Climate Fund will help developing countries leap-frog some of the dirty industries that powered development in the U.S. and go straight to a clean-energy economy.

Britain is widely expected to announce a major contribution at the meeting. Japan, France and Germany have pledged at least a $1 billion each.

Australia will not contribute. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Australia has already committed more than $2 billion to a domestic emissions reduction program.