By Sara Savva

According to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report the MENA region is an arena of climate risks. These include high vulnerability to greater water scarcity; food insecurity; ecosystem losses; and deteriorating human health. These are due to the exacerbated dynamics of conflict and fragility, especially in Syria, with its 13-year ongoing crisis contributing to displacement, acute humanitarian needs and instability.

To date, humanitarian interventions are responding to immediate needs. However, they are not yet well placed to address both the longer-term impacts of climate shocks, support resilient recovery, or address its root causes.

Recognising this gap, the international community has repeatedly acknowledged that scaling up climate finance and action in fragile and conflict affected countries (FCS) is crucial in fulfilling the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.

However, even within the broader category of FCS there are huge disparities in terms of access to climate finance. In the MENA region, conflict-affected countries have consistently received far less adaptation finance compared to other fragile states. Meanwhile, millions of displaced people inside Syria, highly vulnerable to climate impacts, rely on humanitarian aid because their livelihoods have been undermined by both climate change and conflict.

As part of its mission to address the climate crisis by bridging knowledge with climate action, GOPA-DERD emphasises the need for mobilising climate finance that links the humanitarian response to longer-term adaptation and resilience efforts.

Adaptation finance should be oriented to the needs of people – not along political fault-lines. The people in Syria should not left behind. Funding should get resources needed for adaptation and loss and damage, on time, to the people of Syria.

Practically, this should be reflected in the new collective quantified goal (NCQG) as well as in the Global Goal for Adaptation indicators. The NCQG must increase and simplify direct access to climate finance. This means decentralizing decision making to the lowest appropriate level by giving local institutions, local NGOs, and communities more direct access to finance, and support the long-term development of locally led responses.

Sara Savva, an ACT COP29 Delegate, is Deputy Director-General of ACT member GOPA-DERD in Syria.

In the photo: Sara Savva, left, participates in an action at COP29 with other ACT members, drawing attention to the need for improved climate finance. PHOTO: Albin Hillert/LWF

By Vincent Ondieki

As the world grapples with the urgent consequences of climate change, Africa stands at the forefront of this global crisis. Despite contributing the least to global warming, the continent is the most vulnerable to climate impacts, especially with temperature increases surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius. The repercussions are dire, posing systemic risks to economies, public health, agriculture, and overall livelihoods. This jeopardizes years of development progress, threatening to push many communities back into extreme poverty. 

In response to these challenges, innovative initiatives like the Locally Led Climate Fund (LLCF), spearheaded by ACT Alliance, are making significant strides. This project aims not just to address climate impacts but to empower communities across Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Liberia to take charge of their climate action plans. It consolidates resources and efforts at both community and national levels, aiming for transformative change that can lead to sustainable impact. 

In Buhera district, Zimbabwe, the resilience of local farmers showcases the tangible changes communities can achieve. Facing issues such as low agricultural productivity, crop failures, and food insecurity, local farmers are heavily reliant on climate-sensitive livelihoods like agriculture. The LLCF project has equipped these communities with climate-smart agriculture techniques—training that emphasizes water conservation, pest and disease management, and sustainable land use. As a result, two nutritional gardens have been established on communal land, directly benefiting 108 households. Beyond providing nutritional support, these gardens have become sources of income and educational resources, demonstrating the profound impact of localized climate initiatives. 

Climate finance needed

However, being proactive requires adequate funding, which is where climate finance comes into play. At the COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan—dubbed the “climate finance COP”—the importance of engaging financial ministers in climate discussions cannot be overstated. These ministers have significant influence over public fund allocations and governance of climate finance institutions. Yet, with multiple competing demands on limited resources, there is a tendency to overlook locally led climate initiatives.  

To change the narrative, we must advocate for reforms that prioritize local climate actions and foster synergy between adaptation strategies and developmental goals. The opportunity cost of delaying such initiatives is too high; inaction will lead to heightened suffering for communities situated on the front lines of climate change. It also increases the costs and difficulties of future recoveries. 

With COP29 in progress in Baku, we must use this moment to scale up support for locally led climate finance initiatives. This is not just about securing resources; it’s about ensuring a resilient future for everyone. By prioritizing local actions, we can foster an environment of sustainability that uplifts communities while contributing to the global fight against climate change. Let’s seize this opportunity to advocate for a future where local voices and local actions are at the heart of our climate response. 

 Vincent Ondieki is the ACT Alliance Senior Programme Officer for Climate Justice working from Nairobi, Kenya.

By Palwashay Arbab

Pakistan is significantly affected by climate change, facing a range of environmental and socio-economic challenges. The country experiences severe flooding, particularly during the monsoon season. The devastating floods of 2022, for instance, affected over 30 million people, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and homes. Increasing temperatures lead to frequent and intense heatwaves, impacting public health and agriculture and  prolonged droughts affect water availability and agricultural productivity, threatening food security.  

The rapid melting of glaciers in the Himalayas and Karakoram ranges affects river flows, leading to both water shortages and increased flood risks.  Climate change is projected to cause significant economic losses. It is estimated that climate-related events could shrink Pakistan’s GDP by 18-20% by 2050, with its cumulative economic impact estimated to cost Pakistan around $38 billion annually.  

In the past four decades, migration in the face of drought has been a regular bane for desert communities of Southern Pakistan. Since no one had ever intervened to teach them methods of mitigating the effects of natural disasters, they have suffered huge losses in terms of livestock and sometimes even human lives on the long trudge westward to the irrigated farmlands where they could find work. 

Afghanistan has experienced its worst droughts in decades, with 25 out of 34 provinces facing severe or catastrophic drought conditions. These droughts have led to significant water shortages, affecting agriculture and drinking water supplies. On the other hand, flash floods are becoming more frequent and intense, destroying crops, infrastructure, and homes. While agriculture, which is the backbone of Afghanistan’s economy, is severely affected. Changes in rainfall and snow patterns disrupt farming cycles, reduce crop yields, and increase food insecurity and the loss of fertile land due to drought and desertification further exacerbates the situation, pushing many farmers into poverty. Environmental degradation and loss of livelihoods force many Afghans to migrate. Displacement due to climate-induced disasters is becoming more common, adding to the existing challenges of conflict and instability.  

Climate change: impact on women and girls 

• Women make up 80 percent of those displaced by climate change in Pakistan 

• 5 million people are expected to be forced to migrate due to climate disasters by 2050 in Afghanistan, with over 60 percent being women & children. 

• Rural Women, involved heavily in agriculture, face increasing food security and lack of income in the two countries 

• Limited access of women and girls to education and healthcare is further strained by climate-induced disasters 

• Girls are increasingly being traded off into child marriages in return for food amid climate-induced starvation in Pakistan and Afghanistan
  

Urgent need for climate finance: Pakistan 

The World Bank estimates that Pakistan needs between $7 billion and $14 billion annually for climate adaptation. These funds are crucial for building resilience against climate-induced disasters, which have already caused extensive damage and economic losses.

Local and most affected communities can use climate finance to Improve Water Management, implementing efficient irrigation systems and water conservation techniques. The funds will be used to promote Climate-Smart Agriculture, enabling communities to adopt sustainable farming practices to enhance food security. Constructing flood defenses and resilient housing to withstand extreme weather and developing early warning systems and community-based disaster response plans require finances to be utilised as per the needs outlined.  

A major challenge is the lack of financial resources and limited access to international climate funds. Additionally, there is a need for better coordination among local, national, and international stakeholders to effectively utilize the funds.

Communities in Pakistan face challenges such as poverty, lack of infrastructure, and political instability. These issues are exacerbated by climate change, which affects agricultural productivity and increases the frequency of natural. In Afghanistan, communities struggle with security issues, economic instability, and limited access to basic services. The ongoing conflict and restrictive policies further complicate efforts to improve gender equality and climate justice.

Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated approach that includes substantial financial investments, policy reforms, and community engagement to ensure sustainable development and resilience in both countries. 

Palwashay Arbab, Head of Communications and Gender Justice Focal Point, Community World Service Asia. Palwashay is a humanitarian, communications and gender justice practitioner and safeguarding mentor based in Pakistan, working in the Asia Pacific region.

PHOTO: Sahar Zafar/CWSA