ACT News - Page 10 of 102

Acknowledge local resilience in global climate forums

PHOTO: Lorenzo Fellycyana/YEU. The youth group Karang Taruna Prima Gadung initiated a tree-planting project called Javanese Bamboo Sewing Earth, drawing inspiration from traditional tree-planting practices. This innovative approach will not only fortify the soil and mitigate landslides, but also bolster the local economy by cultivating economically valuable and sustainable horticultural plants.

By Jessica Novia

YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) supports over 50 women’s and community groups in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, where we help develop community insight and responses to the profound impact of a changing climate.

In these vulnerable regions, rapid-onset disasters include floods, landslides, and strong winds that cause significant damage. Repairs to a family’s home can cost the same as or more than the income from their harvest. Such devastation also affects their mental health. A survey of 34 women’s communities in the Gunungkidul region of Yogyakarta revealed that some experienced PTSD, anxiety, depression, and even suicide as a result of loss and damage. Water scarcity is also a significant threat, made worse by the unremediated environmental impacts of previous development projects.

Community resilience clear

COP28, the annual global climate conference, has left us reflecting on the urgency of addressing climate change impacts felt by grassroots communities. There is also a need to acknowledge their many resilience efforts. While discussions and commitments at the global level are crucial, we must not lose sight of local efforts. Robust global regulations could ensure recognition of community-based resilience and provide sustained, accessible funding for them.

In Gunungkidul, the resilience of local communities is clear. In one community, a group of young people initiated a tree planting project called Javanese Bamboo Sewing Earth, drawing inspiration from traditional tree-planting practices. The trees will strengthen and bind the soil, mitigating against landslides. This innovative approach will fortify the soil and bolster the local economy by cultivating economically valuable and sustainable horticultural plants. The young people further preserve their culture by using native trees that are disappearing from the area, and use this Indigenous knowledge to defend against climate threats.

Elsewhere in the region, farmer groups have developed mist irrigation which conserves water and offers easier access to farmers with mobility challenges. Despite this, their crops may fail due to El Niño, which is expected to cause the first drought in the area. Another example of innovative resilience comes from women’s groups such as the Melati Women Farmers’ Group. Facing ongoing drought, these groups secure their families’ livelihoods by managing water, animal feed, and their rice fields. They also use waste to produce organic fertilizer and manage plastic waste. These activities have allowed them to generate additional income during the dry season and to mitigate the risk of floods in the rainy season.

Women’s groups’ unique insights

Women’s groups often have unique insights into potential disasters, understanding the local context and the specific challenges they face. By including the voices of their representatives, COP meetings could ensure that policies and decisions address communities’ real concerns. Gender justice must be at the forefront, acknowledging how women are often disproportionately affected by climate change. Their perspectives offer valuable insights into building resilient communities and sustainable solutions. Amplifying local voices, particularly those of women, is not just a matter of justice but a practical necessity for creating effective and inclusive climate policies.

Developing inclusive and effective approaches

Community-driven initiatives need direct and accessible funding. Decisions made at global COPs should prioritise the voices of grassroots communities as they grapple with the urgent impacts of the climate crisis. Regulations governing the use of loss and damage funds should ensure easy access for community-based initiatives. Support for capacity strengthening and accountable monitoring should be part of effective implementation.

A more inclusive and effective approach would include the following steps:

communicate climate disaster contexts in simplified, local languages for community understanding;
develop partnerships with local organizations that collaborate with communities to leverage insights for effective climate resilience strategies;
formalise grassroots women’s leadership in public decision-making structures;
channel financial investments to grassroots organisations to build their knowledge, skills, and leadership capacities;
prioritise partnerships with grassroots organizations to ensure their access to funding and decisions that are aligned with community priorities.

A resilient and just future

Climate conference decisions must amplify the voices and experiences of communities on the frontline directly affected by climate-induced disasters. Global leaders should ensure that funds allocated for loss and damage, along with efforts toward gender justice, directly benefit society. COP meetings should transition from theoretical discussions to pragmatic solutions grounded in the realities of the most vulnerable communities.

Local communities, especially women, play a crucial role in identifying and dealing with potential disasters caused by climate change. With a community-centred lens, we can pave the way for a more resilient and just future.

Jessica Novia attended COP28 as an ACT delegate in December 2023. Her work with ACT member YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) includes strengthening the capacities of at-risk groups, people with disabilities, women and older people with community-led disaster preparedness and humanitarian response. She is also a young representative of YEU’s climate focal point, striving to increase accessibility, accountability, and inclusion in her work.

Photo: The youth group Karang Taruna Prima Gadung initiated a tree-planting project called Javanese Bamboo Sewing Earth, drawing inspiration from traditional tree-planting practices. This innovative approach will not only fortify the soil and mitigate landslides, but also bolster the local economy by cultivating economically valuable and sustainable horticultural plants.
PHOTO: Lorenzo Fellycyana/YEU

Statement: ACT Alliance calls for a reversal of the decision to halt funding to UNRWA

The decision by several key donor countries to halt funding to UNRWA, based on accusations made by the Israeli government of UNRWA staff involvement in a Hamas attack, is deeply concerning. The allegations over the involvement of some UNRWA staff in the 7 October attacks are very serious and must be thoroughly investigated. Anyone involved in acts of terror must be held accountable, it is however essential to adhere to evidence-based decision-making during this unprecedented humanitarian crisis and a volatile political situation. We encourage all key stakeholders to refrain from hasty decisions that impact millions of suffering civilians and to make a thorough and impartial assessment of these allegations before taking any drastic measure.

UNRWA plays a critical role in providing essential humanitarian support to Palestinian people, including food, medicine and shelter. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, rightly points out that the decision to suspend funding will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, further deteriorating the socio-economic conditions in the West Bank and neighboring countries.

Furthermore, the implications of this decision extend beyond the immediate humanitarian concerns, significantly impacting the broader political context, jeopardizing the prospects for lasting peace in the region.

Confronted with these formidable challenges, it is imperative for the international community to ensure the non-politicization of humanitarian aid. We challenge the decision of funding donors to penalize the humanitarian needs of millions of women, men and children to confront the alleged internal failures of a single institution.

ACT Alliance together with the ACT Palestine Forum, along with numerous faith-based and civil society organizations in Palestine and Israel, calls on all key donors who have cut funding to the UNRWA to promptly reconsider this decision.

These actions not only exacerbate the ongoing humanitarian crisis but also cultivate a pervasive sense of injustice, hopelessness and suspicion towards humanitarian aid and humanitarian principles among the Palestinian population.

As part of the ACT Alliance, we join the multiple calls to governments to resume funding the UNRWA. It is essential to separate humanitarian aid from political considerations and work towards a resolution that not only addresses the needs of the affected population but also avoids exacerbating the already catastrophic situation.

By upholding the principles of impartiality and prioritizing the well-being of civilians, we can contribute to a more just response to the complex challenges faced by the Palestinian people.

ACT statement on the attack on HEKS colleagues in Ukraine

ACT Alliance and the ACT Ukraine Forum were shocked and saddened to learn today of the deaths of two aid workers from our member HEKS/EPER, and the injury of four other HEKS/EPER employees yesterday in the southeast of Ukraine.

The aid workers were conducting a field assessment when they were attacked at about 2:30pm.

ACT Alliance offers its condolences and prayers to the friends and families of the colleagues killed, and to all the staff of HEKS, as well as all ACT members working in Ukraine in light of this devastating news.

HEKS is working to ensure the safe evacuation of the affected staff, and are providing support to all the staff involved, and their families.

ACT Alliance joins with HEKS in strongly condemning this unjustifiable attack, which is a serious violation of international humanitarian law. Humanitarian workers and civilian populations must never be targets in conflict.

Slow-onset loss and damage a reality

Tsitsi Musingazori (left) and Anjeline Sumu received food assistance in Mwenezi, Zimbabwe. They both lost their yields due to drought. PHOTO: Ruusa Gwaaza/FELM

By Ruusa Gawaza, Felm

In December, as I travelled through southern Zimbabwe with our local partner, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, the disastrous impact of climate change was clear. Usually, the fields would be full of maize, sorghum, and millet as high as your knee. Instead, the fields were empty and dry, and the temperature was much higher than usual.

In the southern districts of Mwenezi and Gwanda, farmers had been left with nothing for the second year in a row. This was due to a lack of rainfall, made worse by the effects of El Niño. The annual Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment report estimates that more than a quarter of the population, about 2,700,000 people, will face food insecurity in the coming months. More than 95 percent of farmers across the country had not yet started ploughing their fields due to lack of rainfall, even though the rainy season was already halfway over.

The Zimbabwe Council of Churches supports communities with both short-term food assistance and long-term climate resilience work. During the week, we saw food being distributed to the most vulnerable communities in the area. The assistance package included 50 kg of maize flour, 40 kg of beans, and 4 litres of cooking oil, enough for a household of five for one month.

Listening to community members, I heard one desperate story after another. Mr. Vila, the Chair of the Ward 14 Food Distribution Committee in Mwenezi, told me that the situation is catastrophic. Some days, the temperatures have been 10 degrees higher than in an average year. The crops he planted in October, after the first rains, had already withered and his cattle had started to die. When I asked Mr. Vila what the solution might be, he said quietly: “It would be best just to leave.”

We heard more stories of drought, hunger, the inability to produce food, and loss of livelihoods. Farmers had prepared their fields and fixed natural dams to contain water for livestock and irrigation, but the rain never arrived. The situation was dire and getting worse by the week. Food assistance was all that was keeping them alive.

Seeing empty fields and listening to community members, it was obvious that slow-onset losses and damages are already a reality. It might never again be possible to practice farming in the same way because drought recurs each year. When a farmer loses the ability to grow crops on land that has produced food for generations, non-economic loss becomes very real. The communities face the loss of culture and Indigenous knowledge at the same time as they lose their livelihoods.

While we continued our discussions with Zimbabwe communities, world leaders at COP28 in Dubai discussed the Global Goal on Adaptation and made pledges to the Loss and Damage fund. The decisions made in these annual climate conferences are a matter of survival for people in rural communities like the ones I visited in Zimbabwe.

If the goals of the Paris Agreement for mitigation and adaptation are not met, and sufficient funds for adaptation, loss and damage are not available, millions of people like Mr. Vila and his family will have no option but to leave their homes forever. Lives, livelihoods and culture will be lost.

Ruusa Gawaza works for the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (Felm) as a Global Climate Resilience Advisor and lives in Harare, Zimbabwe. She is a member of the Act Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group and co-chairs the Global Climate Program Community of Practice.

ACT member Diakonia Sweden shares legal brief on breaches of IHL in hostilities in Israel and Gaza

On December 5, the Diakonia IHL Centre has launched a legal brief on the 2023 hostilities in Israel and Gaza. The brief assesses violations of international humanitarian law committed, respectively, by Hamas and other armed groups from Gaza and by the Israeli military during the time period from 7 October to 8 November 2023. The analysis in this brief is not exhaustive but rather reflects emblematic issues of concern that are indicative of wider patterns of conduct.

See below a short summary of the main findings:

Today, we have released our detailed international humanitarian law (IHL) report on the conduct of armed groups from Gaza led by Hamas (Hamas forces) and Israel, covering the time period from 7 October to 8 November 2023. In short, we have identified that both armed groups from Gaza (Hamas and others) and Israel have violated IHL. The conclusions of our report draw upon a factual account of events derived from a range of publicly available sources of information, which we have endeavoured to verify primarily by cross-referencing from a large and diverse set of credible sources with a high degree of fact-checking and verification.

Our main findings are as follows:

Our report concludes that there is a large and compelling body of evidence that provides strong indications that armed groups from Gaza (Hamas and others) committed serious and widespread violations of IHL, and that their members perpetrated acts constituting war crimes.
Strong grounds to conclude that Israel’s cutting off of indispensable resources (as part of its declared ‘complete siege’ of Gaza) amounts to collective punishment, and serious concerns about intentionally starving the civilian population as a method of warfare.
Israel has also failed to comply with its obligation to allow for and facilitate the safe passage of humanitarian relief to all civilians in need.
There are serious concerns that the general approach of the Israeli government and military in the military operations conducted in Gaza is one of deliberate disregard for the restraints that IHL imposes on the conduct of hostilities, in breach of the principles of distinction, proportionality, and the duty to take precautions in attack.
We are gravely concerned about the harm inflicted upon hospitals, medical facilities, and medical personnel. We intend to address this further in a separate document.

Access the full brief here.

ACT Alliance at Inter-religious Convention 2023

Reflecting on the faith methodologies for gender justice, ACT forum representatives from Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe shared their experiences working as faith-based organizations.

In Ethiopia, the forum ‘s methodology looked at theological reflections, through two major lenses of the Ethiopian Orthodox as well as Evangelical churches, who are also part of the ACT forum. Through the theological reflections on gender justice, they developed resources for integrating gender into the curriculum, especially in parishes as well as in theological colleges. Read more here.

“One of the added value working with faith actors in theological reflections for gender justice is how we can get to communities and influence, through the church structures,” says Million Shiferaw, NCA and ACT Ethiopia forum member.

In Uganda, addressing transformative masculinities is one of the key areas that the forum engages in gender justice work, countering cultural norms through media campaigns and working with male faith leaders as champions for gender justice.

“There is a need to appreciate transformative masculinities as one of the key pillars in ensuring human rights protected at the community level and affirming human dignity and justice for all” Vincent Mayega, RACOBAO, representing ACT Uganda forum.

In the Zimbabwe forum, one of the approaches, working with the ACT Zimbabwe forum’s gender community of practice, was on integrating gender in peacebuilding work. During the 2023 general elections in Zimbabwe, the forum members monitored gender-based violence (GBV) and provided referral pathways. In addition, the forum has been active in the 16 days of activism campaigns, working with several other actors.

“Working with faith actors in Zimbabwe has enabled us to reach out to communities and as Ecumenical Church Leadership Forum (ECLF), use the Gender Transformative Approach (GTA) which influences the change of attitudes, behavior and norms that are at the very core of unequal power relations and gender inequality. The approach has been key to addressing the root causes of gender-based violence,” says Pamhidzai Thaka from ACT Zimbabwe forum and ECLF

In advancing reproductive justice, Dr. Paul Mmbando brought the perspective on how the voices of faith leaders are unique in bringing a transformative impact on reproductive justice. Church hospitals, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), provide access to information and reproductive justice services. Dr. Paul ,Who is also a medical practitioner noted the added value of working with faith actors in Tanzania, as one of the effective advocacy avenues in reaching communities, as well as in influencing policymaking.

“In our work, we work a lot through inter-faith approach and we have made great strides, when faith leaders speak, they bear with them a unique language,” says Dr.Paul

ACT Alliance’s global gender justice program is of great essence in bringing together members through conversatorio, learning together as well as working as ACT Alliance at local context on gender justuce work.

“One of the major work for the global gender justice program has been to address gender inequalities that are considered taboo or difficult by engaging members and other stakeholders in dialogues to listen to one another and working at local context.” says Elaine, ACT’s Global Gender justice programme manager.

Co-hosted by ACT Alliance and other partners , the inter-religious convention brought together over 160 faith leaders and activists from more than 25 countries globally to deliberate on 3 main thematic areas on gender justice , justice and peace as well as freedom of religion and belief and inclusion.

The three day convention, from 3rd to 6th December brought a unified voice of faith as change makers, in affirming human dignity, justice and freedom for all.

Press Release: COP28 delivers disappointing results

For Immediate Release

December 13, 2023 13:00 GST

Perhaps not surprisingly, COP28 moved into overtime after the Presidency released a weak draft text on December 11, one that was met with disdain by many nations, including the US and the UK, and with civil society organisations and faith groups demanding stronger text.

Although the Presidency was determined to end by noon on December 12th, that timeline was not met, with the final plenary only beginning at 11am on the morning of December 13. Parties worked through the night to deliver a sort-of consensus, one that left at least one Global South group noting for the record that they hadn’t finished their discussion before the gavel fell.

ACT Alliance followed the negotiations for more than two weeks, with ACT members from around the world keeping track of all climate finance issues, in particular Adaptation and Loss and Damage funding, with an eye on the Global Stocktake. How human rights and gender were treated in the negotiations were also key concerns.

Overall, COP28 started on a high note for those concerned about climate justice. Parties agreed to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund with pledges of up to $792 million. Sadly, this is less than 1 percent of what is needed to support people facing the greatest challenges from the impacts of climate change.

Global Stocktake

Unfortunately, the ambition of the Global Stocktake (GST) is the exact opposite of what is needed to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

What we see in the GST is weak language on human rights. Merely respecting human rights is not enough.

Elena Cedillo of Lutheran World Federation and co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice group, comments:

Protecting, promoting and fulfilling human rights must be at the heart of the climate negotiations. Leaders at the COP28 climate summit should have put human rights at the centre. Ambitious climate action prioritises justice and equity; there is no climate justice without human rights.

Loss and Damage

The agreement to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund on the very first day was a breakthrough.

Elena Cedillo, LWF and co-chair of ACT’s Climate Justice group, comments:

While pledges came in, much more is needed to support people affected by climate change-related loss and damage. Contributions to the fund should be based on common but differentiated responsibilities and the polluter pays principle, not be made on a voluntary basis.

Maua Maro, LWF delegate to COP28 comments:

Though the result of COP28 is disappointing, youth will never give up pushing for more ambition and a clear path to implement the agreed operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund.

As youth living in a community where there is no more room for adaptation, mainstreaming non-economic loss and damage, especially on the intangible impacts caused by climate change such as human-induced mobility and displacement, loss of land and people, culture and the knowledge of Indigenous peoples, must be addressed without delay.

Climate Finance

Julius Mbatia, ACT Alliance Climate Justice lead, comments:

Yet again, climate finance has played an intricate role in determining the level of ambition at COP28. It is clear that the COP28 finance package is worrying. Commitment by rich nations to provide public, new and additional, grant-based concessional finance fell through the cracks on many occasions.

Adaptation

The negotiations in Dubai adopted a framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation. It suggests targets to seven thematic areas and acknowledges the need to develop indicators based on best available science for accountable monitoring of the progress of securing people’s lives and livelihoods in a changing climate.

Furthermore, the framework urges parties to build adaptation action in an inclusive fashion, taking into consideration and involving localised communities, Indigenous peoples and other marginalised groups such as persons with disabilities.

Although the decision pinpoints the need to ramp up action and support for adaptation, poor and vulnerable countries should not be lulled into a false sense of security: the decision only recalls and acknowledges previous commitments that are hardly sufficient for closing the adaptation gap.

Niko Humalisto of Felm in Finland, an ACT Alliance member, comments:

It is saddening that the decision doesn’t demand new and additional finances from developed countries. Without adequate resources, we fail to guarantee the right to development for those who bear the heaviest brunt of the carbon legacy of the richest nations.

Gender

Jessica Novia of ACT member YAKKUM in Indonesia, and an ACT COP28 delegate, comments:

Climate justice should go hand in hand with gender justice. In Indonesia, there were more than 3,000 disasters in 2023, overwhelmingly hydro meteorological disasters. These disproportionately affect women, girls and people with disabilities. Funding for loss and damage should reach them before its too late.

Mitigation

Mattias Söderberg of DanChurchAid and co-chair of ACT’s Climate Justice group comments:

We now have a new direction for world development. The fossil era is ending and we should move towards a green future. That is great, but the agreement is unfortunately full of loopholes. It will thus be up to each country, how they will move forward. At the same time there is no promise about additional funding to the global south, which means that the transition may not happen. The next COP will focus on finance, and that is when we will find out if this green transition will be possible.

Youth

Savanna Sullivan for intergenerational justice /youth engagement-LWF Program Executive for Youth comments:

The world and the COP must acknowledge that not only does climate change disproportionately affect young people, but that our conversations about justice are incomplete without the creativity and wisdom of every generation – including youth.

Human rights

Sara Savva, Deputy Director of Syria’s GOPA-DERD, an ACT member, and an ACT COP28 Delegate comments:

Climate change is not only a political or economic issue, but also a human rights issue – the biggest in human history. Unless we adopt a human rights-based approach to guide policies and measures of COP28 mitigation and adaptation, climate justice will be a mirage; indirectly violating human rights.

To arrange interviews, please contact:

Mattias Söderberg, co-chair ACT Climate Justice group, Phone or WA +45 29 70 06 09

Fiona Connelly, ACT Alliance Communications, phone or WA +1 647 210-1238

COP28 Blog: New and additional monies important for Loss and Damage Fund

By Nushrat Chowdhury

The historic agreement to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund was completed in the early day of COP28. Thanks goes to the host of this year’s climate summit, the United Arab Emirates, for all their work in the run up to this moment.

Despite having no obligation to do so, the United Arab Emirates committed $100 million to the Fund, acknowledging its significance in helping climate vulnerable communities around the world. This gesture has paved the way for the industrialised nations to support the immediate capitalisation of the fund – only fair, as they are responsible for about 80 percent of historical greenhouse gas emissions.

At the time of writing, developed countries including the UK, the US, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, Italy, Estonia and Spain had pledged around $500 million to the Fund. This is too little to support the needs of climate impacted communities. The economic costs of loss and damage in developing countries is estimated to be between $290 to $580 billion by 2030. This doesn’t include losses that are difficult to measure, such as the loss of territory, ecosystem services, and biodiversity.

While these pledges to the Loss and Damage Fund are appreciated, it is important to determine whether it is new and additional finance in the form of grants. Repurposing previously committed finance from humanitarian assistance or any other overseas development aid (ODA) will limit support for ever-growing humanitarian needs. Relabelling mitigation and adaptation finance as loss and damage finance will put more lives and livelihoods in danger. Given the interlinkages between mitigation and adaptation costs and loss and damage, delayed climate action will only contribute to increased and more frequent losses and damages in climate afflicted communities.

Addressing climate change is a matter of justice. Poorer communities are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis despite having the least responsibility for causing it. New and additional grants-based finance can help climate change-affected communities rebuild their lives and livelihoods after a disaster strikes or following slow-onset disasters such as sea-level rise, river erosion, or desertification. There’s no way that relabeling or repurposing finance is acceptable in battling the climate crisis.

Developed countries also need to indicate their potential contribution in replenishing the Fund, as a significant portion of the finance pledged at this COP will be used to establish the facility with some finance going to related funding arrangements. This will signal the possible amount of money truly going to the impacted communities. Creating a direct access pathway to the Fund for communities is critical – enabling disaster-affected communities to reach out to the Fund without intermediaries.

The many pledges to support the newly operationalised Fund are positive signs. Yet they shouldn’t take away from previously committed climate action finance.

Nushrat Chowdhury is a climate policy advisor with Christian Aid, based in Dacca, Bangladesh.

MEDIA RELEASE: COP28 Global Stocktake draft offers “small fruits among large thorns”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 11, 2023

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – The text released on the Global Stocktake (GST) on Monday evening, December 11, offers only “small fruits among large thorns,” says Julius Mbatia, ACT Alliance’s global climate justice programme manager.

After nearly two weeks of discussions in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates’ presidency has presented a text to the plenary that offers very few wins amidst a sea of disappointing, unambitious provisions.

Julius Mbatia, ACT Alliance, comments:

The GST text is weak in ambition. It does not offer needed crucial decisions but typically restates previous agreements while carefully not committing to fully supporting NDCs and NAPs.

The GGA text too carefully steers away from developed country obligations to provide finance to developing countries; only recalls COP26 doubling adaptation finance decision; and is silent on the future need for developed countries to provide finance for adaptation. This is not a reassuring finance package amidst worsening climate impacts.

Elena Cedillo, Lutheran World Federation, co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Group comments:

The current text of the GST falls far, far short of what is needed to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Governments must raise their ambition to face the climate emergency. The survival of our planet is at stake.

Rev. Tamsyn Kereopa of the Arawa & Tuwharetoa tribes, Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia comments:

We are at a tipping point and strong commitments are needed now in order to safeguard Mother Earth and the life she supports. This text therefore comes as a devastating blow. It is tragic that politics and the economic interests of the powerful are still the strongest priority for many parties. Such short sightedness will be directly responsible for the coming irreversible damage.

Maro Maua, Lutheran World Federation youth climate activist, comments:

As youth participating in COP28, this is very disappointing. Governments must show commitment to future generations. Raising ambition is a must to provide a future for future generations.

George Devendorf, Senior Director of External Relations, Church World Service, comments:

Tonight’s draft agreements illustrate a remarkable degree of timidity at a time calling for courageous, principled action. As COP28 draws to a close, we implore nations to seize this moment, demonstrate true leadership, and deliver a robust, accountable, and just roadmap to help humanity navigate the daunting challenges that lie before us.

Savanna Sullivan, Lutheran World Federation, comments:

I am angered by the lack of government commitment in the GST. Their actions prioritise the profits of a few over both the survival of the planet and over the voices of millions of young leaders calling for change. Phasing out of fossil fuels quickly is essential for the respect of God’s creation and the survival of future generations.

Mattias Söderberg, DanChurchAid, co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Group comments:

The text throws out the target of 1.5. It is a scandal.

Most items are voluntary. If this document is adopted, the effect will depend fully on political will by parties. Text that could be positive is often couched in nebulous terms like “notes” and “could include” without actually requiring anything. In particular, finance – critical to implementation of ambitious mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage actions – is largely lacking from the new text.

The new proposed #COP28 text will not lead us towards the 1.5 degree target. I do hope that parties continue to engage in the negotiations, to increase their ambition.

ACT Alliance joins many parties in the developing world and civil society and other organisations in calling for a phase out of fossil fuels. “This phase out must go hand in hand with a just transition and finance for the phase out to support developing countries as they shift,” notes Simon Chambers, ACT Alliance’s director of communications.

Media contact:

Simon Chambers, Director of Communications, ACT Alliance

WhatsApp: +1-416-435-0972 email: simon.chambers@actalliance.org

Empowering Refugees through Humanitarian Quality and Accountability Programming in Uganda

Author: Rizwan Iqbal | Global Accountability and Safeguarding Coordinator, ACT Alliance

Uganda, a country known for its generous approach towards refugees, has been a safe haven for thousands fleeing conflict and persecution in neighboring nations. In a bid to further enhance the support provided to refugees and ensure they receive dignified assistance, a workshop on “Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS)” was hosted by ACT Uganda Forum and facilitated by ACT Secretariat’s staff Mr. Rizwan Iqbal and Ms. Caroline Nguju on August 30-31, 2023. It was a collaborative effort between several ACT Uganda Forum members to strengthen the quality and accountability of humanitarian aid. Thanks to the active participation of dedicated participants from Church of Uganda (CoU), Rural Action Community Based Organization (RACBO) , Cordaid, Dan Church Aid (DCA), Finn Church Aid (FCA), Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and World Renew.

The workshop was designed based on a pre-Learning Needs Assessment and for 89% of the attendees this was the first comprehensive workshop on CHS. Participants engaged in vibrant discussions, shared best practices, and identified key challenges in humanitarian aid delivery. The diversity of perspectives and experiences enriched the discussions enabling them to develop a comprehensive action plan to enhance the quality and accountability of aid programs.

The plans included:

Capacity Building: Strengthening the capacity of staff and partners involved in refugee assistance to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver high-quality aid based on Humanitarian Principles, Code of Conduct and CHS Commitments.
Accountability Mechanisms: Implementing robust accountability mechanisms to track the effectiveness and impact of aid programs, ensuring that they meet the needs of refugees. Including CHS requirements in the monitoring tools and establishing/improving Complaints Response Mechanism.
Community Engagement: Promoting greater engagement with refugee communities to understand their unique needs and preferences, enabling more tailored and effective assistance.
Data and Monitoring: Enhancing data collection and monitoring systems to provide real-time feedback and improve decision-making in aid delivery.
Collaborative Partnerships: Encouraging collaboration among ACT Forum members, other humanitarian organizations, government agencies, and NGOs to leverage resources and expertise effectively.

In conclusion, the CHS workshop in Uganda received good feedback and participants marked it useful during the workshop evaluation, thanks to the dedicated participants, the exceptional hosting arrangements by LWF, and the outstanding coordination by Ms. Irene – ACT Uganda Forum Coordinator. The action plans developed during this workshop will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the lives of refugees in Uganda, improving the quality and accountability of humanitarian assistance.

As we move forward, let us continue to work together to uphold the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence, ensuring that refugees in Uganda receive the support and assistance they deserve. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.