CARE International Urging Governments To Act On Paris Agreement

The humanitarian and development organisation, CARE International, urges governments gathering at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP22) in Marrakesh, Morocco, to build on the Paris Agreement’s ascension, and translate political momentum into actions to benefit the poor – those least responsible and yet most affected by the impacts of climate change.

“One of the greatest inequalities in the world is reflected in the causes and consequences of climate change which threatens the livelihoods of billions of people, especially women and girls. The legacy of the Paris Agreement will depend on its implementation, meaning accelerated emission cuts and a disciplined focus on protecting the world’s poorest people in positive ways that can help them to adapt to these changes,” said Wolfgang Jamann, CEO and Secretary General of CARE International.

The legacy of the Paris Agreement will depend on its implementation, meaning accelerated emission cuts and a disciplined focus on protecting the world’s poorest people

Globally, the last 12 months have been the hottest consecutive 12 months on record. Countries such as Mozambique are suffering the impacts of weather extremes. Refugee numbers are on the rise due to wars and conflict as well as drought and famine caused by climate change. Children constitute about 41 per cent of the world’s refugees, and about half of all refugees are women so solutions such as those in Mozambique can help vulnerable women and girls build their resilience to climate extremes: “CARE’s experience in Mozambique during this year’s El Nino taught us that combining access to community-level credit sources, enhanced drought-resistant cropping and diversifying income sources can generate critical food stores and substantial household income,” said Sven Harmeling, Head of CARE’s delegation at COP22.

While CARE knows from its over 70 years of experience of working with partners all over the world, that such adaptive processes can lead to real developmental gains, the projected funding for adaptation still falls woefully short of where it should be. Developed countries, among the biggest greenhouse gas emitters, recently announced intentions to double public finance for adaptation in poor countries from an estimated USD 10bn to 20 bn by 2020.

”But this amount lags far behind estimated costs, and many of these countries still support activities that generate harmful fossil fuels every year, thereby undoing many of the benefits. Developed countries should increase public finance for good adaptation solutions to at least USD 35 bn by 2020, and strengthen the UN loss and damage mechanism, known as the Warsaw International Mechanism”, says Sven Harmeling.

CARE believes a successful outcome of COP22 depends on significant progress on emission reductions in line with the 1.5 degrees limit, enhanced support for gender-equitable solutions on climate change loss, damage and displacement, and work programmes to promote food security, gender equality and human rights.