Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the president of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP28), and Cindy McCain, the executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), made calls today for swift action to increase climate action in fragile and conflict-affected areas.
Their appeal coincides with the COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery, and Peace, which is scheduled to be formally introduced on December 3 at COP28. The declaration will call for revolutionary actions on the front lines of the climate catastrophe.
The world is perilously close to surpassing the crucial 1.5°C global warming threshold, according to the Global Stocktake, the first report card on the Paris Agreement. The consequences of this are being felt globally, with the most vulnerable areas being most severely affected.
Extreme weather occurrences yearly impact three times as many people in fragile and conflict-affected environments as in other nations. In spite of this, compared to those in non-fragile nations, residents of severely fragile states receive up to 80 times less climate finance.
Whilst lifesaving assistance following climate-related disasters is crucial, it is equally imperative to prepare and build resilience, to break out of the vicious cycle of crisis and response, particularly at a time when the humanitarian system is struggling to keep up with the pace of escalating crises.
More financing must be directed to communities and countries for initiatives such as disaster preparedness and anticipatory action, as well as strengthening local systems and supporting small-scale farmers to shield those most exposed to climate shocks.
Governments, international and regional organizations, international financial institutions, charitable organizations, and actors involved in the climate, environment, development, humanitarian relief, and peace are presently endorsing the COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery, and Peace. In addition to presenting an accompanying package of finance, policy, programs, and practices to operationalize the commitment, it aims to make a collective commitment to increase climate action, investment, and absorption capacity in nations and communities affected by protracted humanitarian crises or conflict.
