BERLIN (Reuters) - A group of nations pledged on Thursday a total of US$9.3 billion (S$11.63 billion) to a United Nations fund designed to help developing nations tackle climate change, coming close to a US$10 billion target and giving impetus to talks on a climate deal in France next year.

The UN Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a major part of a plan agreed in 2009 under which rich countries pledged to mobilise US$100 billion a year from both public and private sources from 2020 to developing countries to tackle carbon emissions.

Developing nations have said the fund is a vital for any deal in Paris in late 2015 to limit rising temperatures. The UN target of US$10 billion for the Fund is below a goal of US$15 billion mentioned by developing nations earlier this year.