Japan Pledges $100M To Combat Climate Change

KYOTO, Japan — Japan pledged $100 million in grants to the Asian Development Bank on yesterday to combat global warming and promote greener investment in the region and called for a stronger international agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The money is part of a new initiative by the government in Tokyo to support sustainable development in response to increasing concern that Asia's breakneck economic growth is destroying the environment. It comes just days after a breakthrough agreement in Thailand set the world's first roadmap for fighting climate change. Addressing environmental problems is a priority at the ADB, which was founded to fight poverty through economic growth. The ADB is working to counter the mentality that poor nations that want progress must sacrifice the environment.