*[Enwl-eng] Here is the latest news from the High-Level Champions!
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enwl at enw.net.ru
Wed Nov 15 01:55:27 MSK 2023
UN Global Climate Action
13 November 2023
High-Level Champions'
Newsletter
Final Climate Week of 2023 gets underway in
Malaysia
Asia-Pacific Climate Week (APCW) 2023 is upon
us, hosted by the Johor state government in collaboration with the
Government of Malaysia.
The final Regional Climate Week for 2023 will
provide a vital platform for policymakers, practitioners, businesses and
civil society to exchange knowledge on climate solutions, barriers to
overcome and opportunities waiting to be realized in the Asia Pacific
region.
In Asia Pacific, temperatures are rising twice
as fast than the global average, which is increasing the frequency and
severity of weather-related natural disasters that are affecting around 60
percent of the world’s population. Last year, there were more than 80
disasters on the Asian continent, mainly floods and storms, which led to the
death of more than 5,000 people and affected 50 million more. Overall, these
events are estimated to cost around USD 36 billion. The very existence of
Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS), such as Tuvalu and Kiribati
is threatened by rising sea levels, with saltwater intrusion affecting
agriculture and freshwater sources, displacing people and endangering their
livelihoods.
As well as suffering keenly from the effects
of climate change, Asia-Pacific is also critical to combating the problem,
as some of the most populous and rapidly industrializing nations are
situated in this region. Aligning their growth with the mission to build a
global net zero, resilient economy and providing them the support to do so
is crucial - not only for mitigating emissions, but also for alleviating
poverty and ensuring equitable development.
Despite the challenges, there are encouraging
signs of momentum. For example, Asia had the greatest proportional growth in
the actual number of science-based targets in 2022, with the addition of 317
new companies, representing a 127 per cent increase in comparison with 2021.
Japan Climate Initiative, a Race to Zero Partner, for example, has also been
a critical player in mobilising non-state sector action in the region.
Pacific states, such as Fiji, Kiribati, and
Tonga, are collaborating on effective bottom-up approaches to
decarbonization, even though their emissions footprints are comparatively
very low. For example the Marshall Islands already operate a sailing cargo
vessel and are investing in a new wind-assisted vessel, as well as building
small sailing canoes. If external finance can be accelerated these countries
can deploy new innovation, such as wind assisted ships, enabling them to
trade and travel within the ‘green corridors’ encouraging zero- and
near-zero emission vessels and fuels and decarbonized ports.
From an adaptation perspective, cities, states
and regions in the Asia-Pacific region are also increasingly coming forward
with pragmatic and just solutions-oriented approaches to overcome their
vulnerability. For example, in India, Race to Resilience member, the City of
Delhi has committed to a comprehensive programme to enhance climate
resilience while fostering sustainable development, including increasing the
city’s green spaces, with the aim to reach 25% green cover within the next
five years.
Asia’s reliance on coal can only be addressed
through radical collaboration between countries, civil society and
investors. The region’s coal plants are relatively young, mostly state-owned
and - theoretically, able to operate well beyond the IEA’s 2040 milestone
for countries to stop using coal. Therefore provision of finance for a just
transition is vital, this is a major thrust of the Asia-Pacific chapter of
GFANZ, which is soon expected to publish guidance that sets out how
financial institutions can invest in phasing out coal. In this vein, another
key topic of discussion at APCW will be the world’s first ‘Coal to Clean’
credit programme - designed to support coal phase outs in Asia through
issuing ‘transition credits’ incentivising coal plant owners to invest in
renewables and retrain workers. The programe, which is being spearheaded by
Rockefeller Foundation and Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet
(GEAPP) is expected to be launched at COP 28 and holds major potential for
Asia Pacific countries such as Vietnam.
The high-level segment of APCW, which will
include ministerials on the just energy transition, finance, adaptation and
the Global Stocktake and all main track sessions and events with webcast
links can be found off the main APCW website and interactive programme.
Mobilising finance for climate projects in the
Arab world
The UN Climate Change High-Level Champions for
COP 27 and COP 28, Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin and H.E. Ms. Al Mubarak called on
participants at the Second Arab Regional Forum on Climate Finance to respond
to the urgency of funding projects that both reduce emissions and build
resilience for communities that are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts
of climate change.
Recently held in Dubai, the event co-hosted by
the COP 27 and COP 28 Presidencies and the United Nations Economic and
Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA) convened governments, the private
sector and international development organisations to accelerate the
mobilisation of climate finance toward climate projects to be presented by
Arab states.
The forum showcased a curated portfolio of
investable projects aimed at advancing climate action in the areas of water,
energy, transport, and biodiversity.
These included a water desalination plant in
Jordan powered by renewable energy; an urban mobility project in Tunisia; a
land restoration project in Algeria; as well as a water treatment pipeline
in Oman where the current lack of available water is putting the country’s
food security at risk; plus a green hydrogen project in Egypt which aims to
produce 800,000 tonnes per year for export.
The event marked the last in a series of
Regional Platforms for Climate Projects convened in 2023 by the UN Climate
Change High-Level Champions in partnership with the COP 27 and COP 28
Presidencies and the UN Regional Commissions. The findings from the Regional
Platforms for Climate Projects will be published in a report by the
High-Level Champions at COP 28.
Pre-COP builds consensus ahead of COP 28
The UN Climate Change High-Level Champions for
COP 27 and COP 28 both attended the critical Pre-COP meeting in Abu Dhabi,
UAE to shape the upcoming climate negotiations, ensuring that world leaders
are positioned to agree on ambitious outcomes capable of keeping 1.5 C
within reach and strengthening adaptation and resilience. This year’s event
saw record attendance, with 70 ministers and over 100 delegations coming
together, more than double the usual number of participants for a Pre-COP
meeting.
The event focused on mobilising progress on
key issues including adaptation, mitigation, nature and climate finance. The
Champions listened to Parties and shared how the work of cities, regions,
businesses and civil society (non-State actors) are driving effective
climate action.
At the event, H.E. Ms. Al Mubarak commented on
the first-ever Global Stocktake, which culminates at COP 28:
“The Global Stocktake shows that we must
accelerate emissions reductions, adaptation and resilience, and nature
regeneration by 2030 in order to meet the Paris goals.”
Dr. Mohieldin highlighted that the surge of
science-based commitments made through various campaigns, initiatives and
frameworks are already driving action, collaboration and ambition:
“The Marrakech Partnership Global Climate
Action Pathways, 2030 Breakthroughs, Breakthrough Agenda, and Sharm
El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda, as well as the Race to Resilience and Race to
Zero campaigns offer frameworks, targets and lessons learned that lay a
crucial foundation from which non-State actors – in collaboration with
governments – can respond to the Global Stocktake with speed and scale.”
At the event, Dr. Mohieldin also re-emphasised
that the global climate finance system is “unfair, insufficient and
inefficient”, pointing to the need for urgent interventions to unlock
financing for climate transitions in developing countries - including debt
relief and suspension, extending concessional finance and the use of
innovative financial tools, such as carbon markets and debt swaps. Further
information on the Pre-COP can be found here.
Remembering Professor Saleemul Huq, by David
Howlett
From left to right: Professor Saleemul Huq,
Mary Robinson, Sheela Patel and Nigel Topping at the launch of Roof Over Our
Head, COP 27.
“I’m not sure if words can express the loss of
my dear friend and colleague Saleemul Huq, who sadly died on Saturday 28th
October. I have known Saleem for well over thirty years and his passing is a
tragic loss first to his family, friends and work colleagues.
He was instrumental in helping set up the UN
Climate Change High-Level Champions’ Race to Resilience first by working
with Jorge Gastelumendi and myself to convince the Champions and their team
that we needed climate action on both mitigation and adaptation. UN Climate
Change High Level Champion for COP 26, Nigel Topping, recognized this when
he said “he was shocked and saddened to hear of Saleem’s passing. [He was a]
friend and mentor who did more than anyone to encourage me to move beyond
mitigation to work on resilience.”
More recently he has worked with the Champions
on the need to ramp up action and finance to address the loss and damage
that climate change is now causing. He quite rightly said in the Champions
last ‘Actions After Impacts’ dialogue “we are in the era of loss and
damage.”
Saleem was always a champion of local action.
I can still remember his personal challenge to me, that - while the RtR’s
goal to make four billion people resilient to climate change was well and
good, big global goals didn’t really matter unless it was actually backed up
by action that makes a difference to women and men living at the frontline
of climate change.
We have taken this challenge to heart and
while tracking the progress of RtR we have focussed on peoples’ solutions
and stories to help ensure we are making a difference to people most
vulnerable to climate change. We will continue to do so - and give voice to
communities at the front line of climate change – especially those living in
the least developed countries and small island developing states.
Many of you may not know the full expanse of
Saleem’s career as a climate scientist and a champion of action. This was
why he was such an excellent choice as an Ambassador for the High-Level
Champions. His final post was the founding Director of the International
Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD). Prior to this he was the
first Director of Climate Change at the International Institute for
Environment and Development (IIED). In this role, Saleem established the
links between climate and sustainable development – until then, there was
very little interaction between the climate world and the development world.
And it was Saleem’s idea at COP 8 to start development and climate days at
subsequent COPs to bring these two worlds together.
Saleem was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth
in the 2022 New Years Honours List for his services to combating
international climate change. The honour was awarded in recognition of his
work to build climate expertise in Bangladesh, the UK, and across the world.
Saleem was a constant voice for climate action
and justice for the Global South. He was the lead author of chapters in the
third, fourth and fifth assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change. A professor at the Independent University, Bangladesh, and
an advisor to the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group of the UNFCCC.
Saleem published hundreds of scientific as well as popular articles and he
was named by Nature in 2022 as one of its top 10 scientists.
Sadly, COP 27 was to be Saleem’s last COP. He
is one of only a handful of people who attended every single one of the
global climate summits. This knowledge meant much to many and led to his
appointment to the COP 28 Advisory Committee. He will be sorely missed, but
with all he has done and those he has influenced his legacy to increase
climate action and deliver climate justice will be delivered.”
David was the former Head of Policy at the
Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) on secondment from UK’s Department for
International Development (DFID) now the Foreign and Commonwealth
Development Office (FCDO). At GRP he was the co-focal point on resilience
and adaptation for the Marrakech Partnership on Global Climate Action. He
led with Jorge Gastelmundi on setting up the UN Climate Change High Level
Champion Race to Resilience. For the last two years he has been directly
working in their Climate Champions Team as a Senior Adviser and lead on loss
and damage.
Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week calls
for inclusive and nature-centric climate action
Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Climate Week
brought forward an emphatic call for inclusive and adaptive climate action
with nature at its core.
Protests denouncing a renewed contract for the
Cobre Panama mine and Hurricane Otis provided a stark backdrop to the week.
As tensions rose over the mine, which contributes almost 5 percent of Panama’s
economic activity, and as Hurricane Otis wreaked havoc on Mexico’s Pacific
coast, the urgency for climate resilience, inclusivity and a fair and just
transition became ever more palpable.
This emphasis on a just transition was echoed
in discussions on the Just Energy Transition Collaboration (JET-Co). Ramiro
Fernández, Campaigns Director at the Climate Champions Team, emphasised,
“The energy projects need to be inclusive – they are installed in physical
spaces that affect the communities.” Ana Carolina Espinosa from the Natural
Resource Governance Institute highlighted the moral and practical
imperatives of a just transition, while climate leader from Honduras,
Ricardo Pineda emphasised the need to protect environmental activists.
Dr. Mohieldin attended the event ‘Unlocking
Finance for city-scale transformation through Multi-level Governance”, where
he stressed the fundamental role of city leaders, local institutions and
agencies in financing and implementing climate action in its various aspects
at the local level. Mohieldin stated that working to bridge the climate
finance gap depends mainly on the efforts of cities to mobilize finance from
domestic resources, explaining that climate action in developing countries
requires mobilizing about USD 2.5 trillion annually until 2030, of which
$1.5 trillion must be mobilized from domestic resources.
Nature was also a key theme throughout the
week, from commitments to double down on action to protect oceans –
encouraged by newly launched initiatives such as the Coral Reef and Ocean
Breakthroughs – to the acknowledgement of Nature-based Solutions as
catalysts for the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience campaigns. Daniela
Lerario, LAC Director at the Climate Champions Team, underlined that
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are at the core of the Sharm El-Sheikh
Adaptation Agenda – which sets measurable targets for enhancing resilience
by 2030.
The conference also celebrated the dynamism of
youth and the intrinsic wisdom of Indigenous communities, recognizing their
roles in climate discourse and the need to re-distribute finance towards
higher participation of those less involved – and also to solve the climate
crisis in a just way. Johann Delgado from Cornell Coastal Solutions stated:
“We often wait for magic formulas, but young people can create their own
solutions.” José Antonio Mendez, representing OPIAC, added: “Who are the
Indigenous peoples? Usually, they are seen as a minority. But we have our
own government, we have direct relations with mother nature. This is what
keeps the balance between all beings.”
Commenting on the week, H.E. Ms. Al Mubarak
said,
“Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week
brought to the fore the power and urgency for collective action in driving
the transformations our planet demands. Each story, each perspective shared,
reminds us that our environmental actions must resonate with the heartbeat
of our diverse communities, from the innovative spirit of the youth to the
wisdom of Indigenous Peoples. Above all else, we must remember that in
protecting and respecting nature, we nurture a legacy of resilience and
sustainability for all generations.”
Snapshot of Corporate Climate Action Launches
The We Mean Business Coalition, supported by
the Climate Champions Team and Bain & Company, recently launched The
Corporate Climate Stocktake (CCST), providing a snapshot of corporate
climate action.
The CCST represents the most ambitious,
forward-looking review to date of private sector progress, obstacles and
opportunities for achieving net zero. Looking in detail at eight sectors –
power, road transport, concrete & cement, steel, shipping, hydrogen,
aviation and agriculture – the research presents progress against
international or national targets, and identifies the barriers faced by
businesses that are rapidly decarbonizing to meet their climate targets.
Maria Mendiluce, CEO of the We Mean Business
Coalition, said:
“It was eight years ago, as part of the
landmark Paris Agreement, when world leaders agreed that in 2023 they would
take stock of their collective efforts to meet the goals of the agreement.
“That moment is now here. And while good
progress has been made since 2015 in the greening and electrification of
energy uses, much more is needed to tackle sectoral and systemic
interventions, especially in hard-to-abate sectors. Business is integral to
achieving those goals.”
The CCST report is designed to help
policymakers better understand the barriers that businesses face and what
our most ambitious companies need from governments to go faster. The study
presents the pace of change in each sector, and identifies the barriers
faced by businesses that are rapidly decarbonizing to meet their climate
targets. The report has been released ahead of - and to complement, the
first Global Stocktake, which culminates at COP 28 in Dubai.
Sign up - ‘Top of the COP’ Daily Newsletter
The Champions newsletter will soon switch to
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concise summary of the key headlines expected over the coming day, as well
as key happenings and videos from on-the-ground in Dubai.
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Race to Zero latest developments:
Unleashing People Power: ‘Employee Race to
Zero’ launches
Race to Zero has teamed up with carbon-cutting
employee platform Giki to host the first ever ‘Employee Race to Zero’ - an
initiative to scale climate action within companies. Participants will
benefit from Giki’s award-winnng programme for businesses and employees –
which offers over 160 ways to reduce carbon footprints. They can also access
a comprehensive science-based carbon calculator, leaderboards, and impact
data to incentivise the Race.
Race to Zero’s Director, Ramiro Fernandez said
the initiative was, “an amazing opportunity to help employees learn what
they can do for the planet and join a global competition for a fun, focused
month of climate action”.
To find out more and to sign up, follow this
link. To read the Race to Zero’s latest bulletin, find more here.
COP 28 to build response to Health and Climate
crises
The climate crisis is a health crisis, with
the potential to dwarf COVID-19 in terms of its impact on communities. WHO
estimates that more than 12.5 million people die each year from diseases
associated with environmental hazards, including those related to climate
change. To address this, the upcoming COP 28 will host the first official
‘Health Day’ on the 3rd December, within the Presidency program, and a
Ministerial Meeting has been convened to adopt a Declaration on Climate and
Health.
Over the past few years, the global movement
for climate and health justice has achieved significant wins, which the
upcoming COP can build on. COP 26 was the first to identify health as a
priority of the Presidency, leading to the adoption of the COP 26 Health
Programme, launched jointly by the UK government, WHO and Race to Zero
partner, Health Care Without Harm. Under this initiative, more than 75
countries have committed to developing climate-resilient, low-emissions and
sustainable health systems, and WHO is supporting their implementation
efforts through the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health
(ATACH), established in June 2022. These, and many other achievements,
provide evidence of a growing momentum for healthcare climate action.
The health sector currently represents almost
5 percent of global net GHG emissions, to address this Race to Zero has been
helping to strengthen climate resilience and curtail emissions. For example:
● In the run up to COP 26, hospitals and
health centres from all over the world joined the Race to Zero through HCWH’s
Health Care Climate Challenge, committing to reach net zero emissions by
2050 in alignment with the Paris Agreement.
● So far, more than 70 healthcare
institutions representing the interests of over 14,000 hospitals and health
centers in 26 countries have joined the Race to Zero.
For more information on the healthcare and
climate change nexus, Andrea Hurtado Epstein, Climate Program Manager for
Latin America, recently wrote this article on how Latin America is meeting
the challenge.
Race to Resilience latest developments:
The Nature Conservancy’s Water Funds becomes
Race To Resilience partner
At Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week,
it was announced that The Nature Conservancy’s Water Funds has become a
partner to Race to Resilience. The water fund is a governance and finance
mechanism that improves water security through collective action, allowing
downstream water users to invest collectively in upstream water and land
conservation.
Keeping up with the Champions
● Dr. Mohieldin calls for “climate finance
as development finance” at IRENA High Level Forum, attended by Tan See Leng,
Minister of the Republic of Singapore.
At the International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA) High Level Forum, in Singapore, Mohieldin stated that “climate
finance is development finance”, as financing energy transitions to reduce
emissions is financing for the 7th SDG, relating to the transition to clean
energy and providing energy to all people.
● H.E. Ms Al Mubarak calls for financial
institutions to place nature at the center of climate action
Writing in the Spanish newspaper El Pais, H.E.
Ms. Al Mubarak highlighted the GFANZ Latam launch, in the context of the
disproportionate consequences of climate change in Latin America and the
Caribbean.
● H.E. Ms. Al Mubarak highlights the
importance of the (GFANZ) Latin America and Caribbean Network to Chileans
The Climate Champion for COP 28 spoke with
Chilean newspaper of record, El Mercurio, for a feature on the Glasgow
Finance Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) Latin America and Caribbean Network.
● Dr. Mohieldin discusses fossil fuel
sector’s role at COP 28, at the Financial Times Energy Transition Summit
Mohieldin joined a panel including COP 26
President, Sir Alok Sharma, to discuss the role of the fossil fuel industry
at the upcoming COP 28 climate summit. Mohieldin highlighted that a
successful COP requires collaboration with oil & gas producers, as well as
with major consumers.
Credit: Financial Times.
● Dr. Mohieldin answers ‘What to Expect
from COP28?’ at London Stock Exchange Group event
Mohieldin participated in a webinar looking
ahead to the COP, highlighting the need for climate finance to accelerate
just energy transitions to achieve emissions reduction targets.
● H.E. Ms. Al Mubarak addressed the World
Ports Conference, Abu Dhabi
The COP 28 Champion called on industry
representatives to join the Ocean Breakthroughs, to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by up to 35% by 2050.
● Dr. Mohieldin participates in Competent
Boards Meeting On Climate Change and Boards' Accountability
Mohieldin stressed that controversy over green
washing can be overcome by agreeing on clear and credible standards for the
environmental practices of private sector companies.
● Dr. Mohieldin speaks on unlocking the
potential of women entrepreneurs to tackle the global waste crisis and
accelerate the Race to Zero
The event, held at MIT, focused on overcoming
gender inequality, which poses a unique threat to the livelihoods, health,
and safety of women and girls - who are often frontline responders to
climate disasters and leaders of solutions.
● Dr. Mohieldin attends ‘Championing
Transition Finance For The Planet’s Future’
Mohieldin joined representatives from the UAE
and the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as the UN Economic Commission
for Europe.
In case you missed it
● On 12-14 October, a mandated
inter-sessional workshop for Parties to develop elements for the political
component of the Global Stocktake and explore areas of convergence and
divergence, took place in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Non-Party stakeholders were able
to intervene during the thematic sessions related to mitigation, adaptation,
means of implementation and finance flows, loss and damage, response
measures and enhancing international cooperation. Many Parties acknowledged
the important role of non-Party stakeholders where the work of the
High-Level Champions was also referred to. Broadcast links (day 1, day 2,
day 3) as well as an informal summary by the Chairs of the Subsidiary Bodies
are available.
● The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI)
published the Global Landscape of Climate Finance 2023 report on 2 November
providing a comprehensive overview of global climate-related primary
investment.
● UNEP launched its Adaptation Gap Report
2023 (2 November) which looks at progress in planning, financing and
implementing adaptation actions as well as its Production Gap Report 2023 (8
November) tracking the discrepancy between governments’ planned fossil fuel
production and global production levels consistent with limiting warming to
1.5°C or 2°C.
Mark Your Calendar
● Asia-Pacific Climate Week (APCW 2023):
Johor (Malaysia), 13-17 November
● COP 28: Dubai (UAE), 30 November - 12
December
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From: Global Climate Action
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2023 5:03 PM
Subject: Vladimir, here is the latest news
from the High-Level Champions!
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