Day: 1 November 2022

In response to the US$100bn climate finance progress report, by Canada and Germany on behalf of the donor countries published today, Nafkote Dabi, Oxfam International Climate Policy Lead said:

“While this report provides helpful information on various actions to advance the climate finance agenda, it fails to boost confidence that developed countries will make significant and swift progress on meeting their commitment to provide US$100 billion annually, over 2020-2025 to assist poor countries. The report would have been an ideal moment for developed countries to spell out how they will compensate for missing the US$100 billion mark earlier through additional climate finance in subsequent years. Also, it lacks a robust roadmap as to how they’re going to double adaptation finance by 2025, something they agreed to at COP 26.”

“Poor countries who are worst affected by this climate crisis will find little here to cheer. Countries in Asia, East and West Africa are experiencing more frequent and more severe impacts of climate change, and they have done little to cause it, and they are least prepared to cope with it. That’s why these financial pledges to them are so important. Their citizens are struggling now to cope with catastrophic climate-induced disasters such as droughts, floods, and unpredictable rainfall, which have reduced food production, resulted in water shortages, destroyed livelihoods, and displaced millions.”

“To make matters worse, rich contributors gave more than 70 percent of their climate finance in the form of loans in 2020. This means that poor countries are being loaded up with more debt to pay for climate damage. And even though rich countries claim to have mobilised around US$83 billion in climate finance in 2020, of which US$68 billion they claim was provided as public climate finance, recent Oxfam analysis shows that the actual support provided was just a third of what the reported figures for public finance suggest.”

“At the upcoming COP27 in Egypt, developed countries must address this glaring gap by committing to significantly increase grant-based finance, something that developing countries have long been calling for.”

In response to the UNFCCC’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Synthesis Report published today, Chelsea Hodgkins, Oxfam’s Climate Change Policy Lead, said:

“This report shows world leaders are still failing to address the climate crisis —our planet is currently on track for a catastrophic global temperature rise of 2.5°C. Scientists are clear: it’s now or never to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Climate change is causing suffering across the world, and it will continue to do so. People are already being pushed from their homes, and are facing hunger and drought, floods, and other climate-induced disasters.”

“The climate crisis does not affect everyone equally —it has a disproportionate impact on people in poorer countries as well as women, Indigenous peoples and other marginalised groups. This is why governments must develop and implement NDCs with equity at the forefront. So far, progress on the inclusion and protection of women and Indigenous peoples’ rights, namely land rights, has been abysmal.”

Oxfam supports calls from allies, including the Business and Human Rights Resource Center and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights International, for NDCs to include specific plans for ensuring equal access to clean, reliable and affordable energy and clear protections for land rights. NDCs should also guarantee the rights of environmental defenders and Indigenous peoples’ right to free, prior and informed consent.

“Countries must work toward putting our world on a safer path by collectively reducing emissions by at least 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030. Today’s report shows that the combined climate plans submitted will increase global emissions by over 10 percent by 2030. This is alarming.”

“Rich countries have yet again failed to prioritise our planet. They have shown a lack of interest and commitment to addressing climate change that they are largely responsible for. Every fraction of warming is a death sentence, especially for poor communities that are most affected yet least prepared. We call on countries that have not yet submitted their revised climate plans to do so with urgency. They must do so based on their fair share to limit warming to 1.5°C and with specific protections for women, Indigenous peoples, environmental defenders, and marginalised communities.”

Archives for November 1, 2022