As COP 18 welcomes Ministers from around the world, ECO would like to focus their attention on significant matters related to adaptation. May we have your attention, Ministers: adaptation needs are closing in fast!
National Adaptation Plans. These are intended to address medium and long term adaptation needs. Let’s keep this short and sweet:
First, guidance to the Global Environment Facility is needed now. LDCs are committed, the technical guidelines are out, and there is clear willingness among other developing country Parties. So really, there’s no excuse for delays.
Second, use those funding bodies. The LDCF and SCCF are ready, willing and able to be capitalized. There’s no denying that more funding is needed and this must be additional to that of NAPAs. Otherwise, all the good and benevolent intentions of NAPs are completely without effect.
Loss and Damage. Political opportunity cannot be lost here:
As negotiators are running out of steam from all their work on the L&D text, ECO will pitch in to make sure that this reaches success. These points should steer you in the right direction:
- Loss and damage needs to be given the political space that it deserves; negotiators must keep the political will to keep loss and damage high on the agenda.
- The work programme on loss and damage must be approved and continued, with assurance that discussions on an international mechanism will be a focal point.
- The text cannot shy away from rehabilitation and compensation – these are key to the loss and damage debate and so outcomes should provide guidance on how to address these aspects further.
Ministers need to admit that loss and damage is the unfortunate consequence of the failure to mitigate and the limited international support for adaptation. Now, instead of dwelling on the cause, we must act on the solutions and not let this text fall through the cracks.
Some parting words to Ministers on adaptation in the ADP and LCA:
ADP: Don’t forget the Cancun Adaptation Framework! ECO wants you to make sure that it’s regularly reviewed in the ADP in light of mitigation ambition and the needs of — and support to — developing countries.
LCA: Finance is key – this goes without saying. Instead of re-emphasizing the importance of finance for adaptation, ECO expects Ministers to guarantee its delivery without any further delay. There’s ample evidence to prove the existence of sufficient funds so make the commitment!
And so the strenuous effort to address loss and damage has a well defined path to success. Let us not fail to achieve it!