Canada to give aid to developing nations to fight climate change

Mr Cameron said: “Today, we have a real opportunity to get the small island states that are so vulnerable to climate change on board for an ambitious global climate change deal in Paris”.

Malta, he said, had already played a role in combating climate change when the issue was raised by then prime minister Eddie Fenech Adami at the United Nations general assembly back in 1988.

Ahead of the crucial climate conference in Paris, Commonwealth countries have pledged billions of dollars to fight global warming including the highest USD 2 billion assistance by Canada to help developing countries limit green-house gas emissions.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion said at a news conference in Malta.

“We know that children, particularly the poorest, are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, a fundamental threat to their most basic rights, including access to food, water, education and survival”, David Morley, UNICEF Canada’s president, said in a statement. “Unfortunately we are in a world where climate change is affecting other countries”, adding that the money ” is not an equalization payment…

“I think that [now] all the stars seem to be aligning”.

“We are going to make it happen and the time for taking action is now”.

Dion said attitudes towards climate change have shifted since he hosted climate talks in Montreal in 2005, when he was environment minister.

Following the Copenhagen summit in 2009, Canada announced $1.2 billion in fast-start climate financing over three years, up to the year 2012-2013, which supported projects focused on climate-change adaptation and increasing renewable energy in more than 60 countries.

Justin Trudeau stands with Prince Charles before a meeting at the San Anton palace in Attard, Malta.

The summits are only held every two years and the next two are being held in Vanuatu in the south Pacific and Malaysia.

The Queen praised the advancements of the Commonwealth during her reign and even made a light-hearted joke to the prime minister of Canada after his toast, in what is more than likely to be her last CHOGM.