Press conference at COP29: Interfaith presence at COP29

African hopes for COP29

The following was the result of a virtual meeting of  East and Southern Africa faith leaders in July 2024. They requested that ACT Alliance, Caritas Internationalis, and the Anglican Alliance develop this statement based on their hopes. It was endorsed by the following ACT Forums: Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, and by Caritas’ faith leaders. It outlines the priorities of these faith and spiritual leaders for COP 29 and serves as a set of advocacy points on Climate Finance and the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). 

We, the religious leaders and faith actors representing Africa’s diverse and united voices, stand together to express deep concern for the consequences of climate change on the earth and its people, all entrusted, as our faiths reveal, to our common care. Despite contributing the least to global emissions, Africa faces exponential impacts, posing systemic risks to its economies, infrastructure investments, water and food systems, public health, agriculture, and livelihoods, threatening to undo its modest development gains and slip into higher levels of extreme poverty. 

As guardians of ethical wisdom and spiritual guidance, we are saddened by the insufficient urgency and ambition in addressing climate change. It is crucial for political leaders, communities, and ourselves to respond to the earth’s cries and the urgent pleas of those most impacted by its changing climate. Our sacred teachings demand that we be responsible for creation. The values of stewardship, empathy, justice, equity, and solidarity, as enshrined in our faith traditions, must guide every decision and action that is taken at COP 29 in Azerbaijan, Baku. 

As Baku begins, Africa must chart a new course of action in shaping the future of adaptation and climate finance through the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG). The new finance goal will provide an opportunity for Africa to elevate her agency and strategically center real and felt needs, realities, and demands in the goal’s determination. 

While the NCQG holds a significant promise to Africa, its success will depend on several factors. 

Therefore: 

  • The COP 29 negotiation process must be inclusive and participatory, ensuring that the voices and needs of developing countries are adequately represented. 
  • The NCQG must be ambitious yet realistic, balancing the financial capacities of developed countries with the urgent needs of developing nations. 
  • The international community must work together to establish a framework ensuring efficient and equitable distribution of climate finance. 

As representatives of the majority of the global population who live with religious affiliations and values, we will not only hold leaders to account but will also support governments, and politicians working towards an ambitious global climate agreement in Paris and beyond. 

Therefore: 

We call for a fair, ambitious, and binding global deal applicable to all countries and amplify the following as matters central to the African region that must be considered. 

Global Goal on Adaptation key considerations and messages 

  • Adoption of clear indicators to track progress on adaptation targets transparently. 
  • Upholding of the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) for a fair effort-sharing approach and equitable outcomes.
  • Support and prioritization of adaptation strategies that are led by local communities and combine scientific research with indigenous practices for more effective adaptation. 
  • Clear language and specific targets for means of implementation, including finance, technology, and capacity building for developing countries. 
  • Focus on implementation mechanisms, resource mobilization, and preventing diversion to other areas such as loss and damage. 
  • Strengthened coordination among African negotiators to present a unified stance at international forums. 
  • Predictable and substantial adaptation finance to support the development and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). 

New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) 

Despite pledges to double adaptation finance since COP 26, issues with accessibility, ambiguity, monitoring, and accountability persist, revealing a huge gap between pledges and needs. The upcoming negotiations on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) at COP 29 should reveal pivotal outcomes. 

We urge governments to: 

  • Establish a clear, ambitious, and science-based finance commitment to support NDCs and NAPs on a grant-equivalent basis that does not increase debt burdens for developing countries. 
  • Develop a clear methodology for climate finance accounting and reporting. 
  • Settle on a globally agreed-upon definition of climate finance to enhance transparency and accountability. 
  • Agree on a quantum that reflects the true scale and crisis of climate crisis and genuine commitment rooted in the reality of the climate needs of the developing countries rather than politically negotiated figures. 
  • Deliver a concrete, yearly target over a 5-year duration in line with the GST and NDC cycle, whereby a review to inform updating of the goal is done. 
  • Stabilize the NCQG through a mechanism that ensures continuous annual support rather than sporadic and unstable pledges, which can undermine climate action efforts. 
  • Call for specific measures and financing to close the adaptation finance gap and deliver on the Global Goal on Adaptation, ensuring resources are secured to support the most vulnerable nations.

With faith guiding our moral decisions and love and dignity illuminating our path, let us unite in the quest for a fair, impartial, and enduring world. Together, we possess the ability to revive, mend, and care for Mother Earth, the provider of sustenance for us all. 

PHOTO: Abba Eeldesibhat Engidaw is a local priest who will address the traditional and spiritual mechanisms of forest protection with local residents. PHOTO: Yemoanpicture/ACT

 

Climate Finance: Unlocking Global Climate Action at COP29 

 

By Mattias Söderberg

As world leaders gather in Baku, Azerbaijan for the UN Climate Summit COP29, the focus is squarely on climate finance – the linchpin that could determine the success or failure of global climate action. For years, climate summits have produced ambitious agreements and initiatives, from tripling renewable energy to transitioning away from fossil fuels. However, these laudable goals remain largely aspirational without adequate funding to back them up. 

The urgent task at COP29 is to adopt a “New Collective Quantified Goal” on climate finance that is both ambitious and responsive to real-world needs. The current target of $100 billion per year is woefully inadequate, falling far short of what’s required to address the climate crisis effectively. But the new goal must be about more than just increasing the dollar amount. 

Equally crucial is ensuring that future climate finance is accessible and allocated fairly. This means providing sufficient funding across mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage initiatives. It also requires implementing gender-sensitive approaches, respecting human rights, and empowering local communities with ownership and access to funds. 

Negotiations on future climate finance are challenging, with parties far apart in their positions. No one wants to foot the bill, but the harsh reality is that if responsibility isn’t taken, the cost will automatically fall on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities. This is fundamentally unjust. 

Instead, the future goal should be built on the “polluter pays” principle, ensuring that those most responsible for climate change bear the financial burden of addressing it. This approach not only aligns with ethical considerations but also provides a practical framework for mobilizing the necessary resources. 

The climate crisis is still manageable, but only if decisive action is taken immediately. The challenge lies in ensuring that all countries can participate in this global effort. Many nations in the Global South lack the capacity to implement necessary measures without access to climate finance. 

As negotiations unfold in Baku, the international community must recognize that climate finance is not just about numbers on a balance sheet. It’s about enabling a just transition, protecting vulnerable communities, and safeguarding our shared future. The decisions made at COP29 will ripple through generations to come. It’s time for world leaders to step up, break the deadlock, and commit to a climate finance goal that truly meets the moment. Our planet’s future hangs in the balance, and the clock is ticking. 

Mattias Söderberg is co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group.

PHOTO: Albin Hillert/LWF

Climate action: we must persist

By Phillip Huggins

The importance of a successful COP29 can’t be overstated. We know the quality of unprecedented unity and action which needs to happen: 

  • Nations must update their Nationally Determined Contributions [NDCs], as is called for by the guiding Paris Agreement. 
  • These updates must be ambitious and transparent so as to give hope that we can still keep below 1.5 degrees warming. 
  • The NDC’s must include clear commitments on mitigation and adaptation, and must address the kind of losses and damage many are already suffering, as Pacific leaders have poignantly conveyed. 
  • All countries must prioritise the urgent phase-out of fossil fuels. 

COP29 is being held in Azerbaiijan, a country south of Russia and bordering Iran, which relies on oil and gas for 90 percent of its export income. Yet ambitious climate action is what is needed. This includes much in the area of ‘climate finance’ so those most in need have the capacity to mitigate the current effects of climate change and make sensible adaptations to what we know is coming. 

Crucially, cooperative climate action at COP29 is also action for peace. It would say, should it happen, that we prioritise our collective future over national rivalries, enmities and corporate interests. Crucial, because after 28 previous COPs, this one needs to do so much more than any before. Ambitious outcomes need to be agreed quickly so implementation is not delayed. There must be no more compromises, no more talk of magical geo-engineering solutions that prolong fossil fuel use. No unnecessary distractions like the idea of nuclear power plants here, already sufficiently critiqued as folly. 

Here in Australia, we are in a relatively safe place and with boundless opportunities to provide regional neighbours with encouragement by the pace and quality of our own transition to renewables. Many Australians are cooperating wonderfully. 

The desperate need is for intelligent bipartisan cooperation. The transition to a society that is net zero carbon emissions is so complex and the consequences of failure will be catastrophic. The clear need is for the quality of national cooperation we meet in other emergencies. Not politics that fans resentment, amplifies doubts and makes people more anxious in an already anxious time. It’s hard to know what else to do that will bring reality to our political discourse. 

We just have to persist …  An actor friend, who is also an expert on Dante, decided this week to sew a simple message on silk and stand with it outside a central city train station in Australia. His silk banner says simply: ‘Thank you for taking the train.’ 

In times of hate and fear, in times where the survival of planetary life depends on the decisions we make now, the best lives are those that respond with love. 

Bishop Phillip Huggins is the director of Ecumenical Studies at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture. An earlier version of this article appeared in Pearls and Irritations, John Menadue’s Public Policy Journal.

 

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Blog: World Leaders Must Step Up Climate Finance at UN General Assembly

As world leaders converge on New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly, the spotlight should be on a critical aspect of the climate crisis: finance. While the talks in New York are not a formal climate summit, the discussions taking place this week are pivotal for our planet’s future.

This year’s climate debate centres on funding, a departure from previous negotiations that focused on emission reduction, adaptation efforts, and addressing climate-related loss and damage. The shift recognizes a fundamental truth: without adequate financial backing, even the most ambitious climate decisions will remain mere words on paper.

Ministers attending the UN General Assembly are engaging in high-level discussions, both formal and informal, as parties push their positions forward in anticipation of COP29 in November. These meetings present a crucial opportunity to increase climate ambition and commit to mobilizing larger amounts of climate finance.

The urgency of scaling up climate finance cannot be overstated. It is the key that unlocks effective climate action across all fronts. From enabling developing countries to transition to clean energy to funding crucial adaptation measures in vulnerable communities, finance is the lifeblood of global climate efforts.

World leaders must recognize that the climate crisis demands more than just promises – it requires concrete financial commitments. The discussions in New York should pave the way for substantial increases in climate funding, setting the stage for meaningful progress at COP29.

As these leaders return home from the General Assembly, it is imperative that their words translate into action. The commitments made in New York must be reflected in national policies, budget allocations, and international cooperation efforts.

The clock is ticking on climate change, and the world cannot afford further delays. It’s time for world leaders to find their wallets and provide the funding needed to tackle this global crisis head-on. The future of our planet depends on the decisions and commitments made today.

Mattias Söderberg is co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group and Chief Advocacy Advisor for DanChurchAid.

Image of Mattias Söderberg

Bracing for an Intense Hurricane Season in Haiti

This blog was written by Prospery Raymond, the ACT Haiti Forum Convenor, and originally published in Spanish here.  It was written before Hurricane Beryl (the second named storm of the year) reached category 4 and battered a number of Caribbean islands before turning towards Mexico this week.  He highlights the complexity of vulnerabilities for populations in Haiti who already experience so many challenges, should a storm like Beryl strike the island.

As the 2024 hurricane season started on June 1st in the Atlantic, forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) paint a concerning picture for the region. According to NOAA, this year the hurricane season is ‘hyperactive’, and forecasts show an 85% chance of an above-normal season, and only a 10% chance of a near-normal season and a 5% chance of a below-normal season. These intense storms are expected to be fueled by the effects of climate change and the ongoing La Niña phenomenon. As the hurricane season officially began on June 1 and runs until November 30, various actors are preparing to address the situation.

The agency predicts between 17 and 25 named storms, with 8 to 13 potentially becoming hurricanes (winds exceeding 119 km/h), and 4 to 7 reaching Category 3 or higher (winds over 178 km/h). If Haiti is struck by a Category 3 or stronger hurricane this year, the consequences could be catastrophic, particularly in a context in which more than 50% of the population are in acute food insecurity, 580,000 displaced people have fled gang violence and the spread of cholera has already killed 1278 people since its reappearance in 2022.

Given this multidimensional, complex, and complicated crisis, the question arises: How can we better approach this hurricane season, given the intensifying needs for planning, prevention, and response? Significant efforts have been made, such as identifying over 1,400 shelters across the country using geospatial information. However, these shelters do not all meet the required criteria for adequately housing displaced individuals, lacking proper sanitation facilities, potable water, and food storage capabilities. Moreover, with access to many routes already blocked, delivering aid could be challenging if the country experiences a Category 3 hurricane or higher. Even tropical storms may cause important flooding.

In a conversation with Aldrin Calixte, the Director of the local NGO Haiti Survie, who specializes in natural resources and sustainable development, he shared that his organization has already developed a contingency plan to better participate in the response to storm or hurricane crises that could affect the communities in the South and Northeast departments where they operate. Calixte’s plan takes into account the significant challenges of the moment, such as difficult access, rising prices of basic goods, and their availability in the Haitian market and intervention areas.

 I also discussed the matter with Salomon Brutus, an Agronomist and the Humanitarian Coordinator for the joint office of DKH, LWF, and NCA in Haiti. He believes it is crucial for civil society organizations, the structures of civil protection and local authorities to work together, to foster better coordination and support to communities in the process of reducing risks, in conducting anticipatory actions before crises to reduce the impacts of the disasters, as well to work in synergy during the response phase by assisting affected people efficiently and on time. For this season, he is collaborating with a network of nine ACT Alliance member organizations in Haiti, aiming to cover at least five departments with a plan to help vulnerable communities to be better prepared. While creating the plan is one thing, implementing it is another challenge, but significant efforts are being made in both preparation and execution.

An interesting approach utilized by several organizations and communities in Haiti is the SCLR (Survival Community Lead Response) in which support is provided to initiatives and actions led by the communities themselves and a hand is given to amplify the impacts. This approach, employed by DKH, LWF and NCA with their partners in Haiti, is a crucial aspect of helping communities, especially leaders, guide anticipation efforts, plan with local authorities, prepare, and intervene in within 24h to 72h after a disaster response without external intervention. Some communities are better prepared to take charge before, during, and after crises, thanks to valuable experiences gained from various challenges the country has faced over the past five years. For me, SCLR is the way forward to help have more resilient communities in Haiti.

OCHA and the DGPC (Directorate of Civil Protection) are already working to facilitate better planning for this year’s hurricanes. The 1,400 temporary shelters identified and set up across the country are important. However, the question remains: How will they implement this plan given the challenges we already face? Communication about the severity of the situation is lacking, and the population should be on alert regarding potential disasters. The rainy season of May 2024 already highlights the shortcomings and challenges the country could face if communities see more torrential rain and severe wind.

Resources are lacking, but communication about potential dangers is not up to par. Some communities receiving support from local authorities and external aid may be able to cope, but not all communes are in the same situation. Insecurity and population displacement remain challenges that are difficult to predict but easy to address if the Haitian state prioritizes preparedness and prevention. With more prevention efforts, we can reduce the need for response in the event of a hurricane, for example.

Angeline Anesteus, Action Aid director and CLIO President mentioned how they are very focused on anticipatory actions with multi–year projects to carry out activities in the field, particularly in the Grand Anse area. They have emergency funds to implement rapid actions if a hurricane should hit Haiti. CLIO members are encouraged to work together to avoid duplication and have more effective interventions in many communities. 

For several years, one of the manifestations of climate change in Haiti has been prolonged periods of drought in various regions. Some communities in the south and Grand Anse departments did not receive a drop of rain from November 2022 to July 2023, making it extremely difficult for thousands of farmers to find drinking water and sustain their crops and livestock, as water sources were on the verge of drying up. However, 2024 has brought a different scenario, with significant rainfall starting in February and increasing in May, leading to minor flooding and even tornadoes in some areas, including the Bassin Bleu region in northwestern Haiti.

During my visits with farmers in the in the South-West region in August and November 2023, they complained about the drought affecting their work areas in the year before. They told me they continued to pray for rain in the coming months, but hoping not to experience excessive rainfall or storms. For now, they have received enough rain in early 2024 to aid their planting efforts and hope for a good harvest during Haiti’s spring season from April to July 2024. I hope their prayers will continue to be answered, and Haiti will not be affected by serious storms this year. Even with good prayers, effective preparation and prevention remain crucial. We must continue to inform populations and communities on how to behave before, during and after meteorological events like storms, hurricanes, tornadoes. Haiti cannot withstand another disaster. Many decision-makers know what to do, but will we unite with a strong will to protect the population this year, setting aside political considerations and instead focusing on saving the already drifting economy and – most importantly – innocent lives, with the potential to grow and better serve the country in the future?

 

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Not linked to reality: Bonn climate talks missing urgent action 

MEDIA RELEASE 

Two weeks of UN climate negotiations in Bonn have ended. The next time parties meet will be at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan this November. There, they are expected to adopt a new goal for climate finance.  

But the Bonn negotiations, meant to prepare for COP29, have made little progress. Compared to the effects of climate change that faith groups and marginalised communities around the world are experiencing, this is deeply concerning. Global climate leadership is needed now more than ever. Yet, as shown at these talks, global action and cooperation to urgently address the climate crisis is deeply inadequate. 

Nushrat Chowdhury, ACT member Christian Aid’s Climate Justice policy advisor comments: 

  • The climate talks are not related to the reality we see on the ground. The need for action is urgent, and it relates to mitigation, adaptation and efforts to address loss and damage.

The Bonn talks focussed on climate finance. This is a core element of the climate debate, as any of the goals related to green and resilient transition of the world depend on investment and access to climate finance.  

One of the options of the level of finance the goal needs to aim at was put forward by African States. The Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN) proposed that a USD 1.3 trillion publicly mobilized goal is needed every year to address climate change in the Global South. This number may seem high compared to the current target, USD 100 billion per year. However, USD 100 billion was a political compromise. When we talk about climate finance, we must look at the need. And the need for funding is huge.  

One of the deep conflicts in the debate about climate finance is the so-called contributor base. This is the number of countries responsible for mobilizing climate finance. The reality is that many developed countries still are not contributing. Poland, Portugal, the USA and Greece mobilize minimal amounts of climate finance, despite their large historic responsibility in creating emissions.  

Illari Aragon, member of ACT’s Climate Justice group comments: 

  • Countries in the Global North should take the lead and share the burden of mobilizing climate finance. We still wait for substantial contributions from developed countries that lag in delivering their climate finance commitments 

While finance was the focus at Bonn, other elements of the climate debate need attention. By the beginning of 2025 all parties should have submitted new and updated national climate plans (also called NDCs). These plans should show what each country will do to deliver on the Paris Agreement. These plans should refer to mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage. 

The debate about mitigation has been almost invisible in Bonn. This is worrying, as parties are still far from reaching the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.  

Mattias Söderberg, co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice group, says: 

  • At COP28, last year’s climate summit, negotiating parties agreed to justly transition away from fossil fuels, and to triple investments in renewable energy. These commitments should not be forgotten, and I hope all parties will consider them when they develop their new climate plans. 

While the efforts of parties to develop new and more ambitious plans are important, the question of climate finance remains. Many of the existing plans have still not been implemented. This is largely due to lack of access to funding. The adaptation finance needs of developing countries are 10 to18 times greater than international public finance flows, according to UNEP. There remain huge funding challenges for the Global South to enhance gender mainstreaming in their climate planning development and implementation. 

Julius Mbatia, ACT Alliance, comments:

  • We need new national climate plans to ensure that the world can manage the climate crisis. If there is no finance, plans will never be put into action. The level of ambition and implementation will thus depend on the availability of climate finance. This is why climate finance is at the core of the climate debate. 

The plans will reflect the transition countries must go through to lower emissions. However, the transition must be fair, and this was also addressed in Bonn. Parties unfortunately did not make any significant progress.  

Irene Anena, ACT Alliance Uganda Forum Coordinator, comments: 

  • The Global South is vulnerable and has unique challenges that should not be overlooked. We call for recognition of a fair share by the big polluting countries. We can only have a just transition with a fair distribution of the carbon budget, finance delivery, technology transfer, capacity strengthening and by embracing the principles of human rights.

The talks included a workshop on the Gender Action Plan, specifically on moving from plans to action in fostering gender equality in climate action.  

Says Elena Cedillo of the Lutheran World Federation:  

  • A stronger draft text on gender and climate would urge all Parties to designate and support a national focal point on gender and climate change for negotiations, implementation, and monitoring. … It is essential to align gender responsive Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans with national development planning in a manner consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. 

Speaking at the Interfaith Liaison Committee’s press conference in Bonn, Sostina Takure of the ACT Alliance Zimbabwe Forum spoke of the challenges faced by women and girls in all their diversity and youth with regards to migration caused by the climate crisis:   

  • We must look at the ripple effects of migration and displacement due to climate change. It is not even planned migration in my context. We are just moving people because a disaster has happened. They don’t have food in the new place. They will marry off their children as young as 8 and 9 years old to develop kinship and community, and to share scarce food.  We are destroying a whole generation of young children to survive the effects of climate change. As we go to COP29 let’s remember at the core of Loss and Damage are vulnerable people.

Members of ACT Alliance witness daily the growing effects of the climate crisis on the most marginalized communities in the Global South; those who have done the least to contribute to life-damaging emissions. These effects can only be addressed by a strong commitment to their future by those countries with more resources, who also have a historical responsibility for the emissions that have caused the crisis. This would be climate justice at a global level. 

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

  • As climate diplomats return to their countries, all governments must remember that the climate crisis is real. Just like the COVID-19 crisis was real. The climate crisis can be handled, but only if efforts are made to ensure a just, equitable, green and resilient transition where nobody is left behind.  

For interviews contact:  

Mattias Söderberg, ACT Alliance Climate Justice group co-chair, DanChurchAid Advocacy lead, WhatsApp: +45 29 70 06 09 

Fiona Connelly, ACT Alliance Communications Coordinator, Tel and WhatsApp: +1 647 210-1238 

 

 

 

 

On the road to Baku: Bonn SB60 a milestone

PHOTO: Albin Hillert/LWF.

By Elena Cedillo 

On the road to Baku, Azerbaijan and COP29, the Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB60), now beginning its second week, is an important milestone in climate negotiations.  

The conference will specify what the conclusions of the Global Stocktake (GST) mean for the next set of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Country representatives must address elements of transparency and reporting while preparing to resolve outstanding issues on carbon markets and voluntary cooperation mechanisms.  

Week one milestones

Parties are divided on the focus of this dialogue. Some believe it should focus solely on finance, using it as a platform to follow up on developed country commitments under the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG). Others argue for a broader scope that includes all outcomes of the Global Stocktake. 

New Collective Quantified Goal target debated

The NCQG is set to be adopted at COP29 in Baku later this year. Tough questions about the quantity and quality of climate finance will need to be answered. The new target is expected to build on the previous goal of mobilising $100 billion from developed countries for climate action in developing countries.  

Meaningful climate finance is important to ensure enhanced climate action for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage. Yet the amount of climate finance needed is still under debate. Different figures have been proposed by the negotiating parties and civil society organisations. So far, “trillions” are needed. 

Gender and climate need stronger text

The first three days of SB60 featured a workshop on Gender Action Plan (GAP) implementation. Preliminary results of the GAP implementation review were shared, and the World Café methodology was used in reflection sessions. Both Parties and Observers participated, but some reflection sessions were closed to observers and results were not shared in plenary. 

Parties need to simultaneously improve and continue GAP implementation to produce a new, higher quality GAP with a longer period for implementation, concrete targets and indicators, and more clarity on roles and responsibilities. 

A stronger draft text on gender and climate would urge all Parties to designate and support a national focal point on gender and climate change for negotiations, implementation, and monitoring. It should call for the inclusion of women in leadership positions within delegations, the sharing of best practices, and the integration of key components of the GAP into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). It is essential to align gender-responsive NDCs and NAPs with national development planning in a manner consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. 

Week two begins: June 10 to 13 

Parties have much to discuss and agree on during this second week. There is no denying the devastation that many vulnerable communities are suffering from both extreme weather and slow onset events due to climate change.  

The week will begin with the SB60 co-chairs presenting a revised version of the NCQG text. There is broad agreement to discuss transparency and qualitative issues such as access, gender, and Indigenous rights.  

While the quantum, or amount due, is under discussion, the parties must reflect the seriousness of their intent and raise the level of ambition, as well as guarantee grants instead of loans. 

WIM review 

Parties are discussing the terms of reference for the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) review. The third and final Glasgow Dialogue (GD3) focused on the need for fit-for-purpose coordination among the UNFCCC Loss and Damage bodies (Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) Ex-com; Santiago Network (SN); Loss and Damage Fund) to strengthen the Loss and Damage finance regime within and outside the UNFCCC.  Discussions are focused on the scope of the WIM review, whether it will focus on WIM performance, and a review of its functions. Parties have agreed on the need for more clarity in the proposed text. 

Loss and Damage Fund needs

What is needed from the Loss and Damage Fund? Direct access and rapid disbursement of loss and damage financing, and inclusion of the most vulnerable: women, boys and girls, Indigenous peoples, and displaced persons. 

NAP progress slow

COP28 called on Parties to have their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) policies and planning processes completed by 2025 and to have progressed in implementing them by 2030. To date, only 53 countries have submitted their NAPs. Nevertheless, parties at SB60 are discussing them. A draft decision text on NAPs will be submitted to COP29.  

Parties have a proposed text to guide further NAP discussions during week two. Key points include the need for a clear distinction between the formulation and implementation of NAPs, recognition of vulnerable countries’ exceptional circumstances, and support from developed to developing countries as outlined in the Paris Agreement.  

Further discussions will need to clarify the role of private sector sources in the formulation and implementation of NAPs. Reliance on loans is not a viable solution for NAP implementation. 

Elena Cedillo, LWF Program Executive for Climate Justice and ACT Climate Justice Reference Group co-chair.

 

 

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