Antonio Gueteras
By DERRICK SINJELA and SAEED SIMON BANDA
CONSUMER Unity Trust Society (CUTS) is elated that the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt from 6 – 18 November, 2022 closed on a breakthrough deal “loss and damage” funding for vulnerable countries hit hard from climate-induced disasters.
In a Wednesday, 30th November, 2022 Press Statement circulated by Communication Officer Nancy Mwape, CUTS is pleased that global partners took forthright measures meant to mitigate the varied challenges wrought by climate change.
CUTS welcomed the deal on “loss and damage” considering that developing countries made strong and repeated appeals for the establishment of this fund to compensate the countries that are the most vulnerable to climate disasters, yet have contributed little to the climate crisis.
“The reality of climate change has dawned on us for quite some years now and particularly our rural communities who depend on natural resources for their livelihood. Streams or rivers that used to be a source of rural lifeline are drying up and can no longer sustain them. Consequently, agricultural activity has decreased.
Like other sub-Saharan countries, Zambia has had to struggle with erratic rain patterns that saw increased load shedding happening due to insufficient electricity generated as water levels went down,” read the CUTS Press Statement in part.
A need for vulnerable communities being concerned about the impact that climate change is having on Africa’s economy, affecting our development trajectory.
The CUTS team is convincingly delighted that COP27 will go down in history as the UN climate change conference where the “Loss and Damage” fund was agreed to after decades of pushing.
However, the CUTS Press Statement indicated without hesitation just why it is critical for parties to continue building on the positive momentum created at COP-27.
Further, CUTS desires that an implementation mechanism for accessing the fund, is both simplified and elaborately explained to targeted country beneficiaries.
“The criteria, procedures and formulas for calculating the Loss and Damage must be flexible enough for the deserving countries to access these relief funds on a timely basis. In order to make the deal meaningful, the proposed fund should be in addition to earlier commitments made by rich countries under the climate financing facilities to support developing countries,” read the Press Statement.
CUTS implored a need to drastically reduce emissions and to end addiction to fossil fuels by investing “massively” in renewables, which was not addressed by COP27.
Though, COP27 may be over, CUTS restated that the fight for a safe future continues, urging political leaders to urgently agree on a strong global deal to protect and restore nature at the upcoming global biodiversity Summit to be held in Montreal.
About CUTS
CUTS has been operating in Zambia for over 20 years under five thematic areas all with the ultimate goal of promoting consumer sovereignty; namely – a Economic Governance, Trade and Development, Consumer Welfare, Gender and Governance and Climate Change and Development.
… Here is the Wednesday, 30th November, 2022 Press Statement in full:
CUTS hails COP27 “loss and damage fund” deal, right step in addressing climate disaster.
November 30, 2022. The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt from 6 – 18 November, 2022 closed on a breakthrough deal “loss and damage” funding for vulnerable countries hit hard from climate-induced disasters. As CUTS, we welcome the deal on “loss and damage” considering that developing countries made strong and repeated appeals for the establishment of this fund to compensate the countries that are the most vulnerable to climate disasters, yet who have contributed little to the climate crisis.
The reality of climate change has dawned on us for quite some years now and particularly our rural communities who depend on natural resources for their livelihood. Streams or rivers that used to be a source of rural lifeline are drying up and can no longer sustain them. Consequently, agricultural activity has decreased.
Like other sub-Saharan countries, Zambia has had to struggle with erratic rain patterns that saw increased load shedding happening due to insufficient electricity generated as water levels went down. There is need therefore to be concerned about the impact that climate change is having on Africa’s economy, affecting our development trajectory.
COP27 will go down in history as the UN climate change conference where the “Loss and Damage” fund was agreed after decades of pushing. It is however critical that parties continue to build on the positive momentum created. Further, it is important that the implementation mechanism for accessing the fund, as the criteria, procedures and formulas for calculating the Loss and Damage should be flexible enough for the deserving countries to access on a timely basis. However, in order to make the deal meaningful, the proposed fund should be in addition to earlier commitments made by rich countries under the climate financing facilities to support developing countries.
There is need to also drastically reduce emissions and to end addiction to fossil fuels by investing “massively” in renewables, which was not addressed by COP27.
COP27 may be over, but the fight for a safe future continues. Political leaders need to urgently agree on a strong global deal to protect and restore nature at the upcoming global biodiversity Summit to be held in Montreal.
About CUTS
It has been operating in Zambia for over 20 years under five thematic areas all with the ultimate goal of promoting consumer sovereignty. These thematic areas are; Economic Governance, Trade and Development, Consumer Welfare, Gender and Governance and Climate Change and Development.
For more information, visit CUTS International Lusaka
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For more details, please contact.
Nancy Mwape
Communication Officer
Email: kalindinancy@gmail.com
Cell: +260 974 079858
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