米著名投資家ジョージ・ソロス氏は10日、クリーンエネルギー関連のテクノロジーに10億ドル（約900億円）を投資する考えを明らかにした。また、気候変動に関する新たな政策イニシアチブを創設し、向こう10年にわたって年間1000万ドルを拠出することも合わせて発表した。

Soros says aims to invest $1 bln in green tech

George Soros said on Saturday that he would invest $1 billion in clean energy technology as part of an effort to combat climate change. The famous U.S. investor also announced he would form and fund a new climate policy initiative with $10 million a year for 10 years.

ソロス氏は、12月に国連気候変動枠組み条約第15回締約国会議（COP15）が開催されるコペンハーゲンで「地球温暖化は政治的な問題だ」と指摘。気候変動問題の解決に対し、世界の政治家が指導力を発揮できるかどうか不透明だと述べた。

"Global warming is a political problem," Soros told a meeting of editors in the Danish capital where governments are scheduled to meet in December to try to hammer out a new global climate agreement. "The science is clear, what is less clear is whether world leaders will demonstrate the political will necessary to solve the problem," he said.

タイのバンコクで開かれていた国連の気候変動枠組み条約特別作業部会は9日、先進国と発展途上国の間に横たわる溝を埋められないまま閉幕した。

Climate talks in Bangkok ended in deadlock over how much cash should be made available to poorer nations to help them cope with climate change and over the size of rich countries' greenhouse gas emissions cuts.

クリーンエネルギー関連への投資について、ソロス氏は「利益の出る投資機会を探すが、気候変動問題の解決に真に貢献できる投資も求めていく」と述べた。

Soros said he would apply stringent criteria to his investments in clean energy technologies. "I will look for profitable opportunities, but I will also insist that the investments make a real contribution to solving the problem of climate change."

© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved.
（対訳／agf press）