U.S., Japan pledge billions in fight against climate change

President Barack Obama confirmed Saturday at the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, that the U.S. would pledge up to $3 billion to help poor countries on climate issues, according to news reports.

The U.S. and other nations overrode host Australia’s attempts to keep climate change off the formal agenda at the summit. Australia is considered one of the world’s largest carbon emitters per capita, Reuters reported.

The U.S. would allocate the $3 billion over the next four years to help poor countries invest in clean energy and deal with rising seas and extreme weather, according to the Guardian. The pledge is on condition that other countries make similar funding commitments. The U.S. would only provide the full $3 billion if a $10 billion target is met.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also pledged $1.5 billion that would go toward the Green Climate Fund. The announcement came on Sunday after a trilateral meeting with Prime Minister Abe, President Obama and Australian PM Tony Abbott.

According to Reuters, the final message on climate change called for strong and effective action, with the intent of establishing a protocol with legal force at the U.N. climate conference, which will be held in Paris in 2015.

Abbott has previously said Australia would not make any contributions to the Green Climate Fund, though no final decision has been made yet.