As SB56 reminds us of a fantasy world far from reality, we are reminded of a book where wizards must follow certain rules. The first rule states, “People will believe a lie because they want it to be true or because they’re afraid it might be true”. Another one: “Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to oneself” because then you fall victim to the first rule.
ECO likes to think along the same lines as the wise wizard in the story. So, dear Parties, here goes truth number 1: The last two weeks have been a deliberate waste of time. Truth number 2: Your endless talking is killing people. Truth number 3: What we do here and at COP27 matters, and what we don’t do here and at COP27 also matters.
The objective of SB56 was to come up with solutions, but instead we have just been talking. Your inability to deliver has deepened distrust and has failed on our ‘check box’ of climate justice and integrity. As a reminder, here is the list of insufficiency:
The Santiago Network: While developing countries want an institution that is fit for support, developed countries only want a checkbox exercise.
Glasgow Dialogue: ECO feels that any small spirit of empathy, solidarity and collaboration displayed last Saturday has not followed through. It is clear that developed countries do not care. If they did, they would create a Loss & Damage Finance Facility to address loss & damage. Crocodile tears and tactics of conceptual confusion and institutional games have deepened distrust.
Mitigation Work Program: The less mitigation you get, the more adaptation, L&D and finance you need. The MWP has arisen as a response to Parties’ lack of ambition in meeting the critical 1.5°C target. At SB56 Parties continued this lack of ambition by delaying and delivering nothing. Parties are reminded that if the work to date is not captured, then you just grew older in Chamber Hall for no reason.
Global Goal of Adaptation: ECO knows that if we adapt there will be less need for L&D finance. But Parties have not moved forward at all towards the GGA in six hours of so-called workshops. And, after twice that time, you haven’t been able to even agree on the most simplest of arrangements for the next steps. Your prevarications on National Adaptation Plans will fail the least developed countries on your commitment to facilitate their NAPs within the year. The GST has started to consider how to measure adaptation progress – but you’ve got to actually make some progress first.
Finance: Without adequate, scaled and grant-based finance you are increasing the debt burden of countries, and pushes the ability of developing countries to progress a just transition into clean energy in the next three years further out of reach. Finance is integral to climate justice. Where is the balance of adaptation finance promised? The 100 billion, a drop in the ocean, remains elusive.
Parties, these are truths that should motivate your negotiations. Otherwise, you will fall victim to the first rule and fail the mission of these SBs, which was to center on the needs of those stricken hardest by climate impacts, and to set clear expectations and prepare a strong foundation for the work awaiting us in Sharm el-Sheikh. The time to take action is now. No more empty words and no more wasting time!