Ezaruku Draku Franklin

A number of African Civil Society Organisations under Pan African Climate Justice have expressed their deep concerns at the slow pace of addressing the loss, damage and Climate Financing, demanding that urgent intervention and frank negotiations, given the evidence already provided.

A recent report by the IPCC, stated that Africa is more vulnerable to negative impacts of climate change and that urgent action needed to be taken to avert the crisis.

The CSOs who met in Lilongwe, Malawi at the end of April said the current market-based mechanisms and other false solutions propagated as solutions for loss and damage cannot not work to address the climate crisis on the continent.

An April 28, 2022 communique issued to the participating CSOs says the damage is real on the continent and that now is the time to take action ahead of COP27, which will be held in Egypt.

“Deeply concerned by the continued push by the global north for scientific attribution and quantification of loss and damage and in total disregard of the science of climate change and evidence on loss and damage is already well-established. Cognisant of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1.50C Report of 2018, “residual risks” will rise as temperatures increase and that the report ranks Africa as the most vulnerable continent, with foreseeable catastrophes like those seen in Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique, and Chad, amongst other African nations,” part of the communique states.

The CSOs say while they welcome the Glasgow Pact on Loss and Damage but further uncertain about the time needed to translate it into action as extreme events devastate livelihoods and economies in Africa, they depart from the proposals/submissions from the Association for Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) states to finance loss and damage with the Adaptation Fund.

They say they are disturbed by the increasing push of market mechanisms and other false solutions to financing loss and damage to the detriment of rights-based approaches and the realization of climate justice.

“Strongly denounce market-based mechanisms and other false solutions propagated as solutions for loss and damage. We further caution all stakeholders and especially the global north and the private sector against any form of thought on applying market mechanisms on loss and damage response,” the communique states.

The African CSOs also demanded urgent operationalization of the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, considering the magnitude of loss and damage in Africa no later than COP27. According to the communique, the CSOs demanded that parties put a clear distinction between loss and damage and disaster risk reduction as provided in the evidence of AR6.

“Demand the establishment of a special finance facility for loss and damage response in line with article 8 of the Paris Agreement. These finances for loss and damage should be predictable in quality and quality and should be separate from the Adaptation Fund and the GCF,” the communique says.

Article 8 says parties recognize the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events, and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of loss and damage.

They have required as a basic minimum that loss and damage become a permanent priority agenda in climate negotiation processes right from SBSTAs to COPs, compel a great commitment from parties in following the direction already set by the Scottish government at COP26 in financing loss and damage not later than COP27and call parties to be alive to the differentiated impacts of losses and damages to men, women, youth and the disabled and act following the established evidence.

“Call upon parties to consider the role and capacity of the Civil Society Organizations in loss and damage response and fast track mechanisms for easing access to climate finance to CSOs,” the communique says.

Climate Finance

The CSOs said parties must provide new and additional short and long-term finance, based on the needs of the peoples of the Global South, balanced between mitigation and adaptation with an immediate step of fixing the broken commitment of delivering the inadequate $100 billion in public finance by 2020.

They also called on parties to settle on the definition of Climate finance no later than COP27 as provided in Article 9 of the Paris Agreement without further procrastination.

Article 9 of the Paris Agreement provides that developed country Parties shall provide financial resources to assist developing country Parties with respect to both mitigation and adaptation in continuation of their existing obligations under the Convention.

It goes on to state that “as part of a global effort, developed country Parties should continue to take the lead in mobilizing climate finance from a wide variety of sources, instruments and channels, noting the significant role of public funds, through a variety of actions, including supporting country-driven strategies, and taking into account the needs and priorities of developing country Parties. Such mobilization of climate finance should represent a progression beyond previous efforts.”

“Demand that GCF, the Adaptation Fund, and other fund mechanisms conform to evidence on gender and accessibility. Sturdily call on the GCF and the GCF board to urgently convene and redress the observer state of CSOs in the instrument alongside addressing accessibility and transparency concerns,’ the statement says.

“We emphasize the pivotal and leadership role that African governments should play in consolidating African voices and experiences on loss and damage and strong demand for predictable and verifiable new and additional climate finance support,” it concludes.