No COP27 Without a Firm Commitment on Loss And Damage

AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY STATEMENT ON THE ONGOING UNFCCC 56^TH SUBSIDIARY BODIES INTERCESSIONS IN BONN, GERMANY

BONN, GERMANY, JUNE 15, 2022: Bonn – EXIT STATEMENT SB56

We, the members of Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance have been following with deep concern the ongoing negotiations and particularly on the Loss and Damage agenda. It is worth noting that the G77 and China Group and all developing nations put a spirited fight in Glasgow last year during COP26 for the establishment of a mechanism for financing loss and damage. The Parties from the developed countries blocked this proposal, opting instead for the establishment of the Glasgow Dialogue as a compromise under Paragraph 73 of the CMA Pact-decision.

This paved the way for Parties, relevant organizations and stakeholders to discuss the arrangements of funding activities that could avert, minimize and or address loss and damage associated with the adverse impacts of climate change. The first dialogue happened here in Bonn, June 2022. The statements that were issued by the chair of SBI, UNFCCC Executive Secretary and the representative of the Executive Committee on Warsaw International Mechanism on loss and damage (WIM) during the opening session of the dialogue weighed heavily on the need for openness, pragmatism and practical solutions to the loss and damage agenda.

The Executive Secretary to UNFCCC reiterated the need to focus more on the communities who are most vulnerable to climate change. This is the position that PACJA has always communicated. In the words of the chair of SBI, every decimal degree in temperature rise is important to this process, which is well collaborated by the findings of the 6th IPCC assessment report which was presented in the first Glasgow dialogue meeting by Reinhardt Meckler- a researcher with IPCC. Reinhardt indicated that at 1.1 degree of temperature rise, climate change have already caused serious damages to ecosystems and livelihoods, in fact nearly 50% of the world’s population is staring at the challenge of water scarcity.

The IPCC expert further indicated that the excessive death rate from non-optimal temperatures in sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to be nearly double the global average. This validates PACJA assertion that the African Continent is among the regions which suffers most to climate change impacts despite its meagre contribution to global GHG emissions of 4%. It is the epitome of continuing gross violations of human rights for communities in the frontline of climate crisis through climate unjust actions of commission and omissions by developed countries. It informs the clarion call by PACJA for consideration of Africa as a region with special needs and circumstances. Besides the economic losses emanating from climate change, the unquantifiable non-economic losses for Africa are massive. These range from destruction of fragile ecosystems, loss of cultural heritage, among others.

PACJA held a unique conference in Malawi in April this year that provided a platform for communities at the front line of the climate crisis, including women from rural Mozambique, South Africa, Malawi among other countries, to narrate their real life experiences of the losses and damage and how their lives are affected. The 4-day’s workshop was saturated by emotional episodes as the women in Malawi and Mozambique broke down in tears as they narrated their sad stories of loss of relatives, property and livelihoods. It is the story of Eluby Nota of Malawi that silenced the room for minutes as participants were unable to hold back their tears watching and listening to a story of despair, hopelessness and fatigue. Her emotional pain was obvious and too much to bear. Read More