ECO has been following discussions on the “cover decision” and has heard that some Parties do not acknowledge the importance of such a piece. So, we thought it was a good idea to remind negotiators and especially Ministers that this is the decision that sets the political tone of how the world is responding to the climate crisis. This is your best chance to respond to the demands, not only from the record number of people marching on the streets on Saturday, but from people all over the world: civil society, youth, women, Indigenous Peoples, children, workers.
We are now in the second week and a bit tired of so many queues and meetings and we imagine that negotiators must also be exhausted. But since this is one of the most important outcomes of this COP, we wanted to highlight the key points we think should be in there (you’re welcome, and we trust you will pick this up!!!). So here it goes:
1. Loss and damage finance: Our number one request is for you to establish a new stream to provide sufficient and needs-based Loss and Damage finance, in addition to the US$100 billion per year committed for mitigation and adaptation. The most vulnerable need that urgently. And please, include loss and damage in the terms of reference for the post-2025 finance negotiations on the same level as mitigation and adaptation. We also want you to request that the Secretariat prepare a synthesis report on the Loss and Damage finance gap.
2. Rights and inclusion: The decision must recognize the linkages between climate action and the fulfilment of human rights obligations and, clearly. Simply recalling Paris Agreement language would not do the trick. So we suggest that you welcome the recognition of the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment and the establishment of a Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change by the UN Human Rights Council at its 48th session. After all, this is work from your own peers and benefited from considerable support across all regions!
3. Fossil fuels: We need you to commit to halt fossil fuel subsidies as soon as possible, including via multilateral and regional financing institutions, and to direct financing institutions and the private sector to provide adequate financing for renewables. Please also stop licensing or permitting new fossil fuel projects of any kind for production from 2021 onwards, and phase-out fossil fuel combustion.
4. New 2030 Ambition: ECO would be pleased with a call for all countries to revise their 2030 targets no later than 2022. Then the UK will be able to say 1.5 is ‘staying alive’ (…staying alive, ah-ah-ah-ah-, staying aliiiiiiiiive). Parties should be urged to complement existing NDCs with transparent additional climate policies, plans, action and accelerated implementation, as well as additional financial and technical support annually. In this context, we like the idea put forward by the CVF to establish an Annual Ambition Platform where Parties can share and report on these additional commitments.
5. Role of Nature in Keeping 1.5°C Alive: In the last cover decision waaaay back in 2019 (it seems so long ago, before COVID) you reaffirmed the need to address biodiversity loss and climate change in an integrated manner. Now you need to go further and recognise the urgency of halting and reversing biodiversity loss – along with tackling fossil fuels – in order to limit the increase in the global average temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Building on that, countries should commit to conduct rapid greenhouse gas emissions reductions alongside ambitious conservation and restoration of natural land, water and marine ecosystems in a manner that complies with human rights and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. This should also be included by parties in their NDCs, NAPs and LT-LEDs. The continuation of the dialogue on oceans (that was also on the last cover decision) is also key.
And then, if you tackle all those things + rulebook, we will be able to say we started to respond to the demands of the people. Yes, “started”, as ambition is not the only game in town. We need to start working hard on implementation as well if we want a future no warmer than 1.5˙C for our children and their children and the children of their children.