Sven Harmeling, CARE International’s climate change advocacy
coordinator, has proposed steps to help less developed nations manage climate change. Many of these steps leverage work that has already been done. Now the way must
be cleared to ensure that these elements are part of the negotiating
process ahead of the 2015 deadline for a global climate agreement.
To help work towards an agreement that assists the world’s most vulnerable people, Harmeling’s has proposed four steps
1. Ensure emissions reduction AND adaptation are both
part of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).
Adaptation finance should strengthen rather than interfere with
adaptation planning efforts already underway.
2.
Agree to a global adaptation goal. While the current 2015 negotiating
text mentions critical issues related to a global adaptation goal,
particular financial commitments (and targets) are mission. from
developed countries to help pay for adaptation in poor countries, as
part of a global adaptation goal. In addition to making financial
commitments there must be processes in place to allocate it fairly and
effectively based on the needs of the most vulnerable communities. It
must also be accessible to civil society.
3. Recognise
the needs of the most vulnerable. The 2015 agreement must be people
centered and highlight the need for all climate action to be
rights-based, gender-equitable and participatory.
4.
Commit to tackling loss and damage. The fact that we have not
sufficiently reduced emissions mean that loss and damage is a present
day reality for the poor and vulnerable of the world. This is a
situation that is destined to worsen. Nations that are responsible for
the greatest share of past emissions must be prepared to pay a
commensurate share of the costs for loss and damage.
