World Agrees to Accelerate Joint Climate Action

On its first day, COP28 succeeded in gathering commitments to fund loss and damage from a number of developed countries, such as the United States and the European Union.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Dunia Sepakati Akselerasi Aksi Iklim Bersama

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

President of COP28 Sultan Al Jaber inaugurated the 28th Conference of Parties on Climate Change at Dubai Expo, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday (30/11/2023).

DUBAI, KOMPAS — The 28th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change or COP28 officially took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday ( 11/30/2023). Countries in the world, including developing countries, have agreed on a global inventory or global stock take as a catalyst for accelerating handling of climate change.

COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber when inaugurating the 28th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change conveyed to nearly 200 world leaders that the global stock take must be a catalyst for greater ambition in achieving the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement , namely achieving efforts to limit temperature changes to at least 1.5 degrees Celsius from levels before the industrial revolution. This ambition must be made by each country in the revision of its national climate action plan (nationally determined contribution/NDC) in 2025.

"Through global stock take we have the opportunity to unite three core elements, namely mitigation, adaptation and implementation, including through funding," he said after receiving the handover from COP27 President and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shourky in Dubai Expo.

He also asked all heads of state and delegations, who are reported to reach around 70,000 people, to be flexible and use new ways of thinking. He ensured that this year's COP28 will run inclusively, transparently, freely, and openly. COP28 is scheduled to run until December 12, 2023.

"We must be sure that this COP will bring the most ambitious global stock take. To work efficiently, let's agree on an agenda and move quickly. We don't have time to wait," he said.

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

The atmosphere at the location of the 28th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP28) at the Dubai Expo, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday (30/11/2023).

According to the latest UN Climate Change report, the world is not yet on track to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. The actions taken by countries to limit greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate warming are still not enough.

The national climate action plan collectively aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 2 percent below the 2019 emission level by 2030. However, scientifically, a 43 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is required.

To this end, the global stocktake plan will outline actions on how to accelerate emissions reductions, strengthen resilience to climate impacts, and provide the financial support needed for the transformation to environmentally friendly actions.

Also read: COP28 Dubai Determines the Fate of the Earth

Loss and damage funds

After the inauguration, COP28 agreed to establish a loss and damage fund. This activity is called a victory because small island countries have been expecting compensation from developed countries responsible for climate change for 30 years.

KOMPAS/KRISTI DWI UTAMI

Former small-scale batik industry building has been left by its owner in Panjang Wetan Village, North Pekalongan District, Pekalongan City, Central Java, on Tuesday (18/7/2023). The continuous flood that has been hitting the area for the past decade has made the business owners bankrupt. The workers who depend on the business for their livelihood have also lost their jobs.

According to a study published this week by Dr. James Rising at the University of Delaware, losses and damages from climate change will cost approximately $1.5 trillion USD in 2022. Southern countries have lost an average of 8.3 percent of their GDP due to the impact of climate change.

Until 5:00 pm Dubai time, the United Arab Emirates promised to disburse 100 million US dollars, followed by Germany with the same value. The United States also committed to provide 17 million US dollars. Next, Japan with 10 million US dollars. Then, the UK will donate 40 million US dollars for the fund and 20 million pounds sterling for other related losses and damages.

Countries in the Southern region have lost an average of 8.3 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to the impacts of climate change.

This pledge is referred to as the fruit of five meetings of the Loss and Damage Transition Committee throughout 2023. The committee agreed on a series of recommendations for funding, despite differences of opinion between developing and developed countries. The differences of opinion include various issues, such as the selection of the World Bank as the entity to disburse the funds.

Also read: Waiting for the Realization of Climate Change Impact Funding

Special Envoy for Climate of the United States, John Kerry, who was present today, one day earlier on Wednesday (November 29th, 2023), conveyed that the US fully supports the consensus reached by the related committee.

"We believe that this fund, as designed, will fulfill the needs of vulnerable countries. We have worked closely with our partners to propose ways for the fund to be distributed quickly, yet securely, using the World Bank as a temporary storage site," he said.

AFP/EVARISTO SA

Special envoy for climate change of the United States President, John Kerry, was in Brasilia, Brazil, in February 2023.

Kerry stated that the US is working with partners to develop a framework that will accelerate the funds to meet the needs of recovery, damages, and natural disaster anticipation.

"I think it's important that the funds do not represent any form of responsibility or compensation or any new legal requirements. This fund will strive to be present in developing countries that have borne the heavy burden of climate and whose citizens are threatened because they are unable to adapt or build climate resilience," he said.

Head of Global Political Strategy for the International Climate Action Network (Climate Action Network International) Harjeet Singh said the draft decision of the loss and damage funding committee that came out before COP28 could reflect their final recommendations.

"However, this decision does not wholly address the concerns of developing countries, including proposals to appoint the World Bank as the temporary host of the fund. Although the decision is likely to be adopted at COP28, it is important to simultaneously increase its financial coverage," he said in a written statement."

KOMPAS/CORNELIUS HELMY

Residents repaired a homemade windmill from the Youth Farmer Group "Lare Terbis" in Baregbeg Village, Lakbok District, Ciamis, West Java on Monday (2/10/2023). This watermill draws water from a shallow river and channels it to farmers' fields. It is one of the ways farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Furthermore, he said that the World Bank fundamentally agrees to the proposed requirements by developing countries, which includes increasing access and independent decision-making over the funds.

The World Bank must be held accountable for revising its policies in order to fulfill this commitment and to effectively channel funding to developing countries, communities, and vulnerable nations throughout its tenure.

"Any deviation from this commitment will result in the World Bank losing its role as the host of the new fund," he said.

This article was produced as part of the Climate Change Media Partnership 2023, a journalism scholarship organized by Earth Journalism Network Internews and Stanley Center for Peace and Security.