Damages from extreme weather mount as climate warms new report calls for greater investment in managing climate and damage

 

By VIOLET MENGO

As the global climate continues to change, the costs and damages from more extreme weather related to a warming planet are growing. 

While all countries are impacted, developing nations bear the brunt of mounting losses in lives and livelihoods from increasingly severe floods, droughts, and storms.

“Typhoon Haiyan, the most powerful typhoon ever to hit the Philippines, has brought into sharp focus how climate change is intensifying the severity of extreme weather events, which hurts the poor the most,” said Jim Yong Kim,

 World Bank Group President. “While the immediate relief effort must be front and center of our attention today, such tragic events show that the world can no longer afford to put off action to slow greenhouse emissions, and help countries prepare for a world of greater climate and disaster risks.”

More can be done to help vulnerable countries adapt to climate change, as well as prepare for and respond to weather-related disasters, according to a new World Bank report released today on the sidelines of the UN climate talks in Warsaw. Building Resilience: Integrating Climate and Disaster Risk  into Development looks at the gradual or slow-onset effects of climate change like sea-level rise, salinization of freshwater sources and droughts, as well as extreme weather events like floods, heat-waves or cyclones.

Produced before Typhoon Haiyan left its deadly trail of destruction across the Philippines, the report describes the costs of weather disasters the lives and jobs lost as well as in losses and damages to private property and infrastructure, and their particular impact on the poor.

“Over the last 30 years, the world has lost more than 2.5 million people and almost $4 trillion to natural disasters. Economic losses are rising – from $50 billion each year in the 1980s, to just under $200 billion each year in the last decade. .

And about three quarters of those losses are a result of extreme weather”, said Rachel Kyte, World Bank Vice-President for Sustainable Development.

“While you cannot connect any single weather event to climate change, scientists have warned that extreme weather events will increase in intensity if climate change is left unchecked.”

With a focus on lessons from World Bank Group experience, the new Bank report calls for national governments and the international development community to work across disciplines and sectors to build long-term resilience, reduce disaster risk and avoid unmanageable future costs.

The main findings include: Loss and damages from disasters have been rising over the last three decades, from an annual average of around $50bn in the 1980s to just under $200bn each year in the last decade.

According to the reinsurance company, Munich Re, data, total reported losses from disasters are estimated at $3.8 trillion in the period from 1980 to 2012 with 74% due to extreme-weather.

Weather-related economic impacts are especially high in fast-growing, middle-income countries due to increasingly exposed, valuable assets.

The average impact of disasters equaled 1% of GDP over the six years from 2001 to 2006, ten times higher than the average for high-income countries.

The impacts are particularly crippling in smaller and lower-income countries that are least able to cope. Hurricane Tomas, for example, devastated St Lucia in 2010 and wiped out the equivalent of 43% of GDP. In the Horn of Africa, the extended 2008-11 drought, which at its peak left 13.3 million people facing food shortages, caused estimated total losses of US$12.1 billion in Kenya alone

Climate and disaster-resilient development can save lives and livelihoods and protect the poor from climate shocks. Early warning systems have been proven to save countless lives worldwide, and typically yield benefits that are 4-36 times higher than initial cost outlay.

Cyclone Phailin which hit Odisha and Andrah Pradesh in 2013 resulted in 40 deaths after years of disaster risk prevention and preparedness, compared to the 10,000 who perished during a similar event in 1999.

There are big pay-offs despite upfront investment costs. Disaster assessment experience suggests it costs 10-50% more to build safer infrastructure than to replace original structures.  

For large-scale infrastructure it can be substantially higher. For example, following the 2008 floods in Namibia investments were needed to elevate roads and improve drainage in flood prone areas.

This carried a cost 5.5 times the replacement value of damaged structures. Much is known already on how to build resilience, but better cooperation is needed among relevant agencies and disciplines.

The World Bank and other partners have accumulated a wealth of global expertise in resilient development – but it requires better harmonisation of climate and disaster management agendas to prevent fragmentation of local capacity and global  resources.

The World Bank is providing, combining, and leveraging different types of finance to help nations address climate and disaster risks.

Through the Global Facility for Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, and the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience, the World Bank has helped at least 70 countries include climate and disaster risk into their development planning and investments.

In addition, it offers advisory services, tools, online platforms, and country-specific risk assessments to support nations and populations at risk.

“At the World Bank Group, we are putting disaster risk management at the forefront of our agenda,” said Kyte. “Unfortunately we must ramp up and integrate disaster risk and development. We can help governments improve their planning processes, build to disaster resilient standards and establish early warning systems.

The Bank portfolio in this area is rapidly growing with 2 out of every 3 dollars we invest in this area focused on prevention and preparedness rather than just response.”

In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, the World Bank is working closely with the Government of the Philippines and we stand ready to support the recovery and reconstruction effort in any way we can.

Building Resilience: integrating climate and disaster risk into development was produced by the World Bank and the GFDRR.

Caring for Climate Hosts Inaugural Business Forum to Co-Create Climate Change Solutions

By VIOLET MENGO

The United Nations Global Compact, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat and UN Environment Programme yesterday launched the inaugural Caring for Climate Business Forum where, for the first time, the private sector will join with the public sector in the co-creation of climate change solutions as an official part of the Conference of Parties.

CEOs will showcase to diplomats, policymakers and world leaders the contributions that business and investors are making towards climate action. Held concurrently with COP19/CMP9, the Business Forum will help to bring greater scale to business innovation on climate change, encourage Governments to raise ambition on climate policies and foster collaboration among business, investors, Government, civil society and the UN.

Through direct engagement with COP19 talks, companies will share solutions and commitments and set concrete action plans and partnerships in pursuit of effective and scalable solutions on climate change.

“COP 19 is a pivotal moment to both step up and showcase climate action,” said Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC. “Businesses must be heard, leveraged and invited to develop scalable climate change solutions to drive climate action. This can create the political space for more ambition in the UN climate process, which as part of a virtuous cycle can in turn catalyze more business action."

The Business Forum will showcase some of the most innovative commitments  and solutions for climate change from businesses, including plans by Ikea to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2020, and a new global framework by Dow to mitigate the footprint of large-scale events and help to produce the  first carbon neutral Olympic Games.

World leaders will learn about actions taken in markets across the globe – such as China, where Caring for Climate has facilitated commitments by companies across seven action areas for combatting climate change and reducing pollution and emissions.

“Environmental change is accelerating and generating new and emerging challenges but also opportunities for business,” said Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP and UN Under-Secretary-General.

“Companies that face up to these realities are likely to be the ones that survive and indeed thrive in a rapidly evolving world where factors such as climate change and dwindling availability of natural resources will shape future patterns of profit and loss while driving new and smarter markets,” he said.

Demonstrations of real-life climate-change solutions can help to build precedents and public support that are needed to move policymakers to action.

The Caring for Climate Business Forum gives companies the critical opportunity do so.” said Georg Kell, UN Global Compact Executive Director.

“By facilitating private-sector investment, setting a price on carbon and bringing to scale climate change solutions that work, the private sector can prove that it plays a lead role in influencing the global climate change agenda.”

Leveraging the themes of innovation, ambition and collaboration, the  Business Forum will be opened by high-level speakers including Christiana  Figueres, COP 19 President and Poland’s Minister of Environment Marcin  Korolec, and President and CEO of World Resources Institute Andrew Steer.

A dozed focused sessions on themes related to the UNFCCC agenda and co-organised with The Climate Group, CDP, UNEP’s Finance Initiative and WRI will cover mitigation (i.e., bridging the emissions gap by 2020); adaptation; capacity-building and technology-transfer; and innovative financing – and cross-cutting issues such as transparency and responsible policy engagement.

New tools and resources for companies launched at the Business Forum include the Caring for Climate (C4C) Progress Report 2013 which examines trends in participation in C4C, emissions performance of companies and progress made against the five commitments, and a guide to help businesses engage responsibly in climate policy.

The Climate and Energy Action Hub, an  interactive platform for companies to collectively provide technologies, resources, services and business models to scale up climate and energy efforts, will present nearly 20 projects seeking partners from the private  and public spheres.

Today, chief executives and senior representatives of Caring for  Climate signatories will engage in a high-level meeting with Government representatives to distil the outcomes from the first day, with participation by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania; Achim Steiner; and Christiana Figueres.

Companies will put forward key recommendations for Government actions to help scale up and deepen the quality of corporate climate leadership globally. The Business Forum will conclude with a report-back segment and a formal announcement of new commitments to action.

 

 

legislators key in addressing climate change

November 18^th 2013

By VIOLET MENGO

KABWE Member of Parliament James Kapyanga says there is a correlation between strong domestic climate change legislation and high international ambition at the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change.

Mr Kapyanga said although the factors that determine a country’s negotiating positions are many and complex, advancing domestic climate change legislation has a positive influence on such ambition.

Speaking shortly after his attendance at the Global Legislators’ Organisation COP19 side events briefing  for  legislators here, he said national climate change legislation is not just something that should underpin an international agreement after it has reached; rather it is an enabler that creates the political space for a deal.

“National legislation could form the basis of an outcome with legal force in 2015 under the Durban Platform, we are doing well in trying to put legislation related to climate change as a country,” Mr Kapyanga said.

He said therefore that the advance of national legislation in key countries, combined with strengthened engagement of legislators should be actively supported between now and 2015.

The Parliamentarian said there is need for political will in climate change issues.

Ends….

Coal is Killing the Climate and the Warsaw Talks

By VIOLET MENGO

Pan- African Climate Justice (PACJA) Zambian Chapter Robert Chimambo says Africans are now choosing a better, cleaner, safer and more democratic future by rejecting coal.

Mr Chimambo said the ministers must do the same here at the Warsaw climate summit to refuse lobbyist get in the way of urgent, immediate, emission controls by developed countries and a ban on fossil fuels.

“Our call is for a just transition to renewable energy controlled by people, which is why we have come up with a declaration on coal, we refuse the use of coal because coal hurts our health, destroys our rivers and mountains that contribute to the climate change driving extreme weather ,” Mr Chimambo said.

Mr Chimambo who is coordinator for Climate Change Network in Zambia was part of other civil society groups from across the world who introduced a “People’s Communique on Coal” into the UN climate summit that concludes this Friday.

The declaration comes out of Reclaim Power - a global month of action on energy, which occurred throughout October and highlighted resistance against dirty energy that is driving climate change and proposed clean, people-controlled solutions.

The groups, from local community organisations, to regional networks and large international NGOs, released the statement today (Monday) to highlight the need for an immediate and absolute just transition from coal, in order to confront the climate crisis.

The civil society alleged that the climate talks have been overshadowed by the controversy of the Polish Government supporting a "coal and climate" conference on the sidelines.

And Jubilee South, Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development from the Philippiines Lidy Nacpil said Australia has sent its coal corporation's representatives to Warsaw, instead of the humanity and compassion of its citizens.

“Given that emissions from burning coal are the single biggest human source of climate changing greenhouse gases, the communique says that, the push for Coal is a betrayal of the commitment and obligation of governments under the United Nations to address climate change and shift to sustainable pathways,”Ms Nacpil said.

Friends of Earth International chairperson Jagoda Munic said the Polish government should act in the interests of Polish people, not corporations.

“We are calling on them to act as a leader in Central and Eastern Europe and transition to a just, clean renewable energy future, not one dominated by dirty coal." He said.

Ends……

Zambia Position Paper at COP19

 

 

 

 

 

 

Republic of Zambia

 

MINISTRY OF LANDS, NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

 

 

 

ZAMBIA’S COUNTRY POSITION PAPER AT THE NINETEENTH SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES (COP-19) TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC) AND THE NINETH SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES ALSO SERVING AS THE MEETING OF THE PARTIES (CMP9) TO THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

 

 

 

WARSAW, POLAND,

11^th TO 22^nd NOVEMBER 2013

November 2013

1.0     INTRODUCTION

Zambia as a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol will participate at the Nineteenth Session of the Conference of Parties (COP-19) to the UNFCCC, which will also serve as the Ninth Session of the Conference of Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (MOP-9) to the Kyoto Protocol, in Warsaw, Poland from 11^th to 22^nd November, 2013. In this regard, Zambia has taken positions on a number of priority issues to be discussed at this important Conference. This position paper will act as an official guide to Zambian delegates as they engage in negotiations during the Conference. 

Climate change represents an urgent and irreversible threat to human societies and the planet. The window of opportunity to avoid dangerous climate change is closing and there is a growing risk of adverse climate change and catastrophic impact, particularly for Africa.

Zambia is already experiencing the adverse effects of climate change, including increased temperatures, increased incidences of flood and drought events, shift in the onset and duration of rain leading to loss of agriculture production for the majority of the population. In this regard, the need for increased engagement in multilateral negotiations cannot be over emphasised as it would enable the country to undertake adaptation and mitigation actions arising from the negotiation process of the UNFCCC. 

2.0     POSITION ON MAJOR ISSUES

2.1     General Negotiation Process

Zambia supports the view that climate change negotiations under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol should focus more on the development of a new protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties. The agreement should reflect all the principles and the provisions of the Convention, including the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. The agreement should be based on science, ensure equitable access to sustainable development and sharing of atmospheric space and resources, taking into account cumulative historical responsibility. Further the agreement should pay particular attention to mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation (financial resources, capacity development and technological development and transfer).Regarding the mitigation ambition, Zambia support the views that Annex I Country Parties should raise their levels of ambition in order to close the emissions gap to keep the increase in global average temperatures below 2°C. Zambia should be enabled to contribute to mitigation measures through provision of financial support, appropriate technology and comprehensive capacity development.

Zambia looks forward to making progress in the ratification of the amendments to annex B of the Kyoto Protocol. This will ensure continuity of the only legally binding framework under climate change. 

2.2     KEY THEMATIC AREAS

The following are Zambia’s positions on selected specific agenda elements of the negotiation process. This also provides guidance on general direction to take on elements not directly addressed in this position paper. 

2.2.1  Adaptation

Zambia is already experiencing the adverse effects of climate change. As a whole, Sub-Saharan Africa is already experiencing adverse effects of climate change and these are projected to increase in frequency and intensity in future. 

The recent variability and unpredictable nature of climate has undermined critical sectors of the economy such as agriculture which has resulted in reduced agricultural productivity and perennial food shortages. Therefore, adaptation to the changing climatic conditions and their effects is not an option for Zambia but an imperative; hence, it is the first priority for the country.

Zambia welcomes the progress made by the Adaptation Committee in operationalisation of the Cancun Adaptation Framework. However, we urge the developed country Parties to urgently scale up support for the implementation of adaptation measures and national adaptation plans.  

Zambia is also recognisance of the fact that there are limits to the extent that communities and ecosystems can adapt to the changing climate. Loss and damage of property, territory, biodiversity, ecosystem, lives and livelihood will occur if those limits are exceeded. Zambia therefore, calls for an agreement on the establishment of an International Mechanism on Loss and Damage at COP 19 and get it operationalised by COP21. 

Zambia finalised its NAPA in 2007, with nine proposed projects/strategies.  To date Zambia, like many other countries has exhausted its allocation LDCF and calls for recapitalisation of the Fund. Funding for adaptation should be grant money and concessions as is stipulated in Article 11 paragraph 1 of the Convention and not through loans.

• We also call for enhanced capacity building for developing countries to be able to develop fundable adaptation programmes
• There is need to the review of the implementation of the Nairobi Work Programme on Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation. 

2.2.2 Financial Mechanisms

Article 11, paragraph 2 of the Convention provides for a financial mechanism that has an equitable and balanced representation of all Parties with a transparent system of governance. Currently, Parties have observed that the financial mechanism entrusted with the Global Environment Facility has not been effective due to lack of transparency, and complicated and bureaucratic procedures to access the funds.  Financing climate change will require huge resources to enable developing countries like Zambia to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change and also pursue a low carbon development path. In this regard, we call for adequate, predictable and additional financial resources to be made available by developed countries to developing countries. These resources must be additional, adequate and separate from the Official Development Assistance (ODA) to ensure our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and reduce poverty among our people are not frustrated.

2.2.2.1        Governance of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) 

The Green Climate Fund that was established at CoP16 in Cancun, and adopted at CoP17 in Durban. Zambia calls for capitalisation of the GCF to allow financing of climate change at country level. The major source of the resources into the Fund shall be public money, and that at least 50 per cent of the resources in the Fund should be allocated towards adaptation considering that adaptation is a priority for Least Developed Countries, Small Islands Developing States and the African group.  It is also Zambia‘s view that the GCF should become fully operational and start disbursements of funds at COP19 in Poland.

Zambia also urges GCF Board, in its capacity as an operating entity of UNFCCC to allocate increased funding for climate change adaptation in Africa once the fund becomes operational.  

2.2.3 Technology Development and Transfer 

In most of developing countries, especially in Africa, access to technology remains a challenge.  Zambia has completed the Technology Needs Assessment process and identified priority technology for implementation. We therefore, request for funding to implement the identified technologies. We further call for full operationalisation and strengthening of the institutions that have been established under the technology mechanism.  

We further wish to reiterate that there is urgent need to address the issue of technology transfer, including the identification and removal of all barriers preventing access to climate-related technologies and the appropriate treatment of intellectual property rights, and the removal of patents on climate related technologies for non-Annex I Parties.  We further note with concern that Annex 1 countries continue to push responsibility for technology transfer to the private sector, hence disadvantaging LDCs such as Zambia to source technology on the market with conditionality.

2.2.4  Mitigation

Zambia urges the developed country Parties to increase the ambition of their economy-wide emission reduction targets, with a view to reducing their aggregate anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol.  

Furthermore, we welcome progress made on the work programme for mitigation for Country Parties and call for development a framework to facilitate the common accounting rules, procedures and compliance in mitigation efforts.

As a developing country, Zambia shall commit its efforts to the development and implementation of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) meant to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, provided means of implementation including finance, technology and capacity building are made available.  We further wish to reiterate that NAMAS should be developed in the context of national agenda and should not be used as a basis of shifting mitigation actions of developed countries to developing countries. 

2.2.5  Capacity Building

The other priority issue for Zambia, like the rest of Africa, is capacity building. It is our view that capacity building should also be looked at in the broader sense of development focussing on investment and learning by doing. We stress that capacity building should be treated as a cross-cutting issue and be clearly reflected in other thematic areas. 

Zambia appreciates the financial and technical support received already from developed Countries through bilateral and multilateral avenues on capacity building.  However, we note that the support has been inadequate and sometimes inappropriate. In this regard, we call upon Annex 1 Parties to consider implementing the recommendations of the reviews on capacity buildings programmes specifically on preparation and implementation of the National Communications, Green House Gases inventories, development of mitigation and adaptation programmes and their assessments; development of CDM projects as well as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD plus). The support for capacity building should be measurable, reportable and verifiable. 

Further, monitoring the implementation of the capacity-building framework should be enhanced and streamlined. It would also be desirable if Annex 1 countries could report the implementation of capacity building and development activities in their national communications. Conversely, non-Annex1 countries should also report funding received under capacity building or the lack of it. 

2.2.6  Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD plus)

The forestry sector provides reservoirs for the Greenhouse Gases and close to 30% of GHGs come from the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector. Zambia and most of the developing countries derive their livelihoods from natural resources based sectors including timber and non timber forest products. As such, communities around forest reserves should be involved in programmes related to sustainable forest management. These programmes should provide adequate safe guards and incentives to the local communities for them to participate in REDD plus activities. Zambia supports the proposal to have a separate window for REDD-Plus activities under the Green Climate Fund.  

2.2.7  The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) 

As it has been observed by most developing countries, conditions under the CDM are still not favourable to guarantee effective development and implementation of CDM programmes.  In this context, Zambia acknowledges progress made by the CDM Board in refining the procedures and modalities for CDM projects. However, the country proposes the following: 

• A continued reform of the operations of the CDM for it to achieve the desired outcomes as defined in Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol in order to contribute to ultimate objective of the Convention. These reforms should address issues of transparency, accountability and methodologies to be simplified for selecting and approving projects.
• Transaction costs should be reduced or completely waivered for eligible countries to increase the number of beneficiary project developers. Currently due to high transaction costs, project developers are unable to meet the requirements for developing a CDM project.
• More Designated Operating Entities (DOE) of the CDM should be available in the African region to speed up processing of projects. Capacity building of in-country assessors should be carried out so that expertise in these centres is generated from within the region

Zambia supports the view that only Annex I Parties that have taken up commitments under the KP2 should allowed to participate in the flexible mechanisms.

 

2.3     RATIFICATION OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE ANNEX B OF THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

The 18^th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP18) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Eighth Session of the Conference of Parties serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol renewed our commitment to promote the global environmental integrity. This was demonstrated through adoption of the Doha amendments to annex B of the Kyoto Protocol that facilitated the implementation of the second commitment period from 2013 – 2020.
In this regard, my Zambia wishes to encourage the Country Parties to KP2 to facilitate the ratification of the amendments to annex B of the Kyoto Protocol to ensure continuity of the only legally binding framework under climate change.

2.3.1 General Considerations and Positions

·         Zambia welcomes the process development of a new protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties

·         The Convention is a multilateral platform for climate change action and that as such addition action under the ambition work stream of the Durban platform require agreed transparency, accounting and recognition provisions and to enhance action by developing countries through a clear process to scale up the means of implementation including finance, technology and capacity building

·         Zambia urges that there be a close link between the ADP process, KP and means of implementation for attainment of the goals of the Convention.

·         Equal premium should be given to both work streams under the ADP as we believe that a strong outcome on Work Stream II is as important as Work Stream I.

·         Zambia strongly opposes the linking of technical and political discussions to delay negotiations and create a gap.

·         Warsaw needs to provide political reassurance and deliver significantly on means on means of implementation, as confidence building measure.

·         The new agreement should consider a widest interpretation of climate finance and ensure that targets are set to increase investment and financial policies to promote pro climate technologies.

 

3.0     CONCLUSION
This is the broad official position that Zambian delegates to COP19/CMP 9 will be expected to articulate in their interventions in different fora wherever they have a chance to speak. It also reflects and re-inforces the Country Statement to be delivered by the Hon. Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection during the high level segment. In general the Zambian position resonates with the broader positions of the Least Developed Country (LDC) parties, that of the African Group and to a large extent the position of the Group of 77 and China.

The impacts of climate change will cause damage and loss of the government and community properties. Extreme and slow onset events such as floods and drought will threaten food security, increased diseases, deaths and some people will be forced to move from their homes as environmental refugees.

COP16 established a work programme to consider approaches to address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

COP18 acknowledged the further work to advance the understanding of and experience on loss and damage. COP18 decided to establish, at COP19 institutional arrangement such as an international mechanism, including functions and modalities to address loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effect of climate change. COP18 requested that SBI to elaborate activities under the work programme to further the understanding of and expertise on loss and damage associated with the adverse effect of climate change

The developing countries through the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) are expected to work towards the establishment of institutional arrangement with a view to preparing a draft decision for consideration and adoption at COP19. Activities under work programme are expected to be elaborated.

The SBI’s position therefore was the establishment of the international mechanism to address loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change in accordance with decision COP18.

The International mechanism should address loss and damage associated with the adverse effect of climate change from extreme and slow onset events in developing countries especially the least developed countries and Small Island developing states and other developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

This has been received with mixed feelings from the parties to the convention. The industrialised nations do not want the establishment of the international mechanism and is most likely that decision will not be reached easily here in Warsaw due to huge divergence of views between developed and developing countries.

Developed Countries have stated loss and damage be addressed as follows; Developed countries believed that there should be a diverse range of responses, developing countries and international organisations are required to integrate climate change into development efforts.

Instead of the international mechanism, developed countries propose establishment of Warsaw Platform for loss and damage, under the Cancun Adaptation Framework. Others require a loss and damage Task Force under the Adaptation Committee

The institutional arrangements should provide overall leadership and coordination under the Convention to facilitate efforts to reduce the risk of loss and damage through enhanced adaptation action.

Developed countries stress that institutional arrangement should recognize the role of the private sector. This implies such actions as insurance. To delay the action some action, some parties are proposing establishment of dialogue with relevant stakeholders on how to address loss and damage.

Ends….

African CSOs Want Climate Change Induced Migration, Agriculture difficulties Addressed in Warsaw

By VIOLET MENGO 

The Pan African Climate Change Justice Alliance, PACJA has continued to multiply its side events at the COP 19 climate Change discussions in Warsaw-Poland, joining other civil society organizations from South America and India to highlight the situation of climate change impacts in their various communities.

After the question of induced migration that has wreaked havoc in many vulnerable communities in Africa, Asia and India the civil society organizations think these issues should feature on the negotiation table of decision makers now than later.

After discussing the issue of climate forced migration on the 11-11-2013 that is not only pushing many youths to flee in search of greener pastures in Europe but worse still leaving many inhabitants these affected communities helpless, the civil society actors on the 12-11- 2013 zoomed on the declining agriculture output triggered by climate change, a situation that is becoming a potentially worsening risk in developing countries.

The rights and livelihood of climate change forced migrants could be protected in view of different international covenants,” says Martin Viella of Jubillee South.

From the African perspective, Samson Ogallah of Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) said some of the conflicts been witnessed across the continent are linked to direct impacts of climate change that is forcing  people to migrate from one country or region to the other in the continent.

Ogallah added that Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps litter across the continent as a result of climate induced and forced migration. The continent contributed least to the cause of climate change yet bears the brunt of its impact. Africa can no longer wait; the continent and its people are running out of patience on the slow pace of negotiations and implementation of internationally binding agreement on climate change he stressed. He also calls for a concrete decision to be arrived at in Warsaw on Loss and Damage.

Civil society organizations want the issue of climate change induced migration to be taken into consideration as a responsibility of major carbon emitters’ countries and exploring a demand for new UN protocol in this regard.

The situation on declining agriculture output just like climate induced migration is becoming as an encumbrance necessitating to be included in climate discourse, from the MVCs [Most vulnerable countries] perspective.

“Africa depends on rain-fed agriculture. Annex 1 countries should meet up with their historical responsibilities as concerns assisting developing countries address the problem of climate change. The land space in Africa is also now been grabbed by some of these rich countries. They have used up more than their fair share of the atmospheric space, so let them leave the land space and its resources in Africa to the continent and its people” Samuel Samson Ogallah of PACJA said.

They also discussed how the rights and livelihood of these forced migrants could be protected in view of different international covenants.

The discussions were held under the theme “Climate induced migration the question of rights and common but differentiated responsibilities”. Guest speakers included Samson Samuel Ogallah of Pan African Climate Justice Alliance [PACJA], Martin Viella, Bolivia, Jubiliee South, Latin America, Azeb Girmai LDC Watch, Soumaya Dutta, Beyond Copenhagen Collective, Ajay Jha, PARIVI, India.

November 14, 2014

By VIOLET MENGO in Warsaw, Poland

For the first time ever, companies have a guide to manage and report on their direct and indirect influences on climate policy.

The UN Global Compact, in cooperation with seven leading international organisations, today released guidelines to help companies engage in climate policy in a transparent and accountable way that is consistent with their sustainability commitments.

The Guide to Responsible Corporate Engagement in Climate Policy sets baseline expectations for companies to provide proactive, constructive input for Governments to create effective climate policies. It helps companies to connect the dots between sustainability commitments, such as emissions reductions across their value chains and efficiency improvements, with their corporate policy positions.

There is a mixed record on public policy engagement. In a recent survey of UN Global Compact companies, only 30 percent have aligned their traditional government affairs activities with their corporate responsibility commitments, such as taking action on climate change.

UN Global Compact Executive Director Georg Kell said the report comes as the role of business in policymaking receives increased attention and negotiators meet at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP19) here, in order to guide progressive businesses to lobby in favor of a global, legal climate agreement by 2015.

Mr Kell said businesses and investors are also becoming more aware of the risks of climate change, and want clear and consistent climate policies in place to create a productive operating environment.

“To address calls for alignment by business, investors and other stakeholders, the guide establishes the core elements of responsible corporate engagement and translates that into three practical actions for companies to provide a constructive and positive voice on climate policy,” Mr Kell said.

Among the key areas of the guide are identify the company’s opportunity and legitimacy by creating an inventory of its influences on climate policy and aligning its positions and influences to ensure consistency and accountability.

It also sets report on climate change policy influences, intentions and outcomes using a three-tiered framework for transparency.

“Engagement by the private sector that is collaborative, serious and solutions-oriented is vital, and can help ensure widespread support for sustainability, climate action and broader UN goals.

“With leading technological and social innovations already in place, there is enormous potential to produce results if greater scale is achieved,” he said.

Mr Kell said the time is ripe for enlightened business leaders to scale up corporate sustainability by engaging responsibly on climate policy, ultimately helping to drive energy efficiency, renewables and technology in a low-carbon economy.”

He said the business case for companies to engage responsibly in climate policy has strengthened as companies are increasingly asked to track and report their policy positions.

The Executive Director said responsible corporate engagement can help a company to execute on its corporate strategy by creating trusted relationships with Government and generate regulatory certainty and enhance shareholder value.

 He said it can also build and sustain public and stakeholder trust and promote policies that protect against impacts from climate change.

World Resources Institute President and CEO Andrew Steer said when it comes to climate policy; many leading businesses are struggling to match their words and their actions.

“This report finds that seven of 10 businesses have not fully aligned their sustainability goals with government affairs practices. Those businesses that are serious about addressing climate change will follow the actions in this guide." Mr Steer said.

The Guide to Responsible Corporate Engagement in Climate Policy is the result of research and interviews with more than 75 business and policy leaders from more than 60 organisations across 20 countries.

 It will be highlighted at a special session of the inaugural Caring for Climate Business Forum during COP19, on Saturday this week.

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The Adaptation pay off- it does says IFAD

From VIOLET MENGO in Warsaw, Poland

THE International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) says adapting to climate change creates economic benefits for small holder farmers in developing countries.

This is according to a report issued today (Thursday 14^th) entitled the Adaptation Advantage: The Economic Benefits of Preparing Small Scale Framer for Climate Change.

The adaptation advantage: The economic benefits of preparing small-scale farmers for climate change adaptation means anticipating the adverse effects of climate change and taking appropriate action to prevent the damage they cause.

And IFAD President Kanayo Nwanze said investing in adaptation offers many benefits for food security, poverty reduction and environmental conservation when farmers take up more profitable and sustainable cultivation and post-production methods.

The report shows the economic and financial benefits of investments aimed at preparing small-scale farmers for climate change at both a community and a global level through adaptation investments.

Targeted investment is needed to encourage adaptive practices towards sustainable food security while avoiding crop losses and damages.

“By taking a cost-effective risk-based approach to these IFAD adaptation projects, we are able to measure the economic benefits for smallholder farmers themselves,” said Mr Nwanze.

“We are seeing cost-saving benefits and a rise in incomes, not to mention wider global benefits such as avoided emissions and biodiversity gains.”

IFAD’s Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP) is a unique and innovative instrument that channels climate finance to small-scale farmers so that they can increase their overall climate resilience.

ASAP also provides the framework for a more comprehensive accounting of the economic benefits that arise from adaptation investments.

“Investing in adaptation for smallholders is a win-win scenario, and we need to show governments at the UN’s climate negotiations in Warsaw how climate finance – such as IFAD’s ASAP – can bring in net positive economic and environmental benefits for smallholders across the world,”  the President said.

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By VIOLET MENGO

Delegates from more than 190 countries are in Warsaw for COP19, the 19th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the latest round of negotiations towards an international climate agreement.

Likely to be among the most outspoken in the talks are the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). This group, which represents around one billion people from the world’s poorest countries, has high hopes for the climate talks.

The LDCs have contributed less than one per cent to historical greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, they are suffering disproportionately from the impacts of climate change. People living in these countries from 2010 to mid-2013 were five times more likely to die from climate related disasters than people living anywhere else.

The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report in September paints a grim picture of increased climate impacts for the LDCs in the coming years, including increasingly severe tropical storms, droughts and floods. That’s why the LDCs come to COP19 ready to negotiate lasting solutions for the people most vulnerable to climate change.

Warsaw COP19

By VIOLET MENGO in Warsaw, Poland

The climate change talks under the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change opened on Monday in Warsaw, Poland on a grim and somber note, as parties recalled the devastation of the typhoon Haiyan in the Phillipines.

The Phillipines head of delegation, Naradev Sano made an impassioned and emotional plea calling for the Warsaw talks to “end the madness” breaking down at the end of his speech.

Mr Sano announced that he was commencing a voluntary fast until meaningful progress has been made in Warsaw.

Mr Sano said the Typhoon Haiyan was apparently the cruelest and worst storm in recorded history, with the full extent of the damage being uncertain.

“The picture following its aftermath is of a colossal disaster” He said that Parties cannot afford to delay climate action and that “We can stop this madness”

Mr Sano said that this was the 19^th meeting of the conference of Parties and despite significant gains, “we continue to fall short of attaining the Convention’s ultimate objective”.

Loss and damage is a reality and developed country mitigation targets are dangerously low. Parties were at a critical juncture and even with the most ambitious reductions, it is too late and there is need for global solidarity.

The means of implementation is ever so crucial and the emerging climate pathway cannot be that typhoon are a way of life as is the counting of dead bodies

Mr Sano said that Philippines are doing their own effort with a national renewable energy programme and that if the developed world could finance the incremental costs, it could do much more in mitigation actions.

He said his own family’s hometown was hit by Haiyan, adding that his brother survived but is hungry and weary as food supplies are short and is involved in burying dead bodies.

Mr Sano announced that he would adopt a “voluntary fast” during this COP until there was “meaningful outcome” 

He wanted concrete resources to be mobilized for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) which remains an empty shell and needed to see real ambitions.

He said the UNFCCC could be called a “project to save the world and we could stop the madness” and urged the Parties not to move the “goal post” He ended his speech with a call to Parties to rise above humanity and received a standing ovation as he broke down in tears.

Parties then observed three minute silence for those who had perished in the tragedy moment of silence on the request of Su Wei, the head of the Chinese delegation to the COP19 Presidency, Marcin Korolec, Minister of Environment of Poland.

The COP19 and the 9^th session of the meeting of Parties of the Kyoto Protocol are meeting from 11 to 22 November. The subsidiary bodies who are also meeting are the Subsidiary Body for the Implementation (SBI), the Subsidiary Body for the Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP).The SBI and SBSTA also opened on Monday while ADP started on Tuesday 12^th November.

There were concerns whether the COP provisional agenda would be adopted, given that the Russian Federation had proposed a new sub item for the inclusion on “decision making in the UNFCCC process under the agenda item on Administrative, financial and institutional matters.

When a similar proposal to include a new agenda item was made by the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine for the SBI session in June in Bonn, Germany, the SBI could not commence work at all due to wrangles over the agenda.

However, in Warsaw, the COP opening did not see an “agenda fight” as Parties were given assurance by the COP President that the Russian item on the adoption of the rules of procedure of the provision agenda and item relating to a proposal by Papua New Guinea and Mexico for amendments to the Convention to allow for a right to vote on all matter, except to those related to financial rules and the financial mechanism when consensus cannot be found among Parties.

Papua Guniea, following the adoption of the agenda said that it had made request since the Bali COP for the adoption of the rules of procedure (which is still pending adoption as Parties have not been able to agree on rule 42 on voting when consensus is not possible).It said that without having effective and transparent processes, the hands of Parties were tied. It wanted resolution of this.

When Parties were invited to make statements following the adoption of the agenda, the G77 and China stressed that the Warsaw talks must be about the implementation of the past commitments including on finance, technology transfer, capacity building, adaptation and a mechanism to address loss and damage. The G77 and China call was echoed by all the other developing country groupings.

The climate talks begun with an opening ceremony which saw speeches by Abdullah Bin Hamad Al –Attiya, President of COP18. The President of COP19, Rejendra Pauchauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Mayor of Warsaw and Christian Figueres the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC.

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