In a sign that the impact of extreme weather events on countries worldwide is worsening, the world’s deputy UN chief on Monday emphasised the importance of curbing this rise in temperature to an internationally agreed goal of 1.5 ° C above pre-industrial levels.
“The entire planet is going through a season of fire and floods”Amina Mohammed
“The entire planet is going through a season of fire and floods” Aminsa Mohammed said in a high-level meeting focusing on climate change, which mostly affects vulnerable and vulnerable populations in both richer and poor countries.
In a video message on the dialogue about accelerating adaptation solutions ahead of COP26, the UN’s annual conference on climate change to be held in Glasgow in November, the Deputy Secretary General made reference to the effects already apparent if the milestone were to rise by 1.2 degrees.
With “bold and decisive steps” toward a net global economy by 2050, developing countries might still be able to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, Muhammed said.
Whereas a “massively scaled-up investment” in adaptation and resilience was “critical” for the people on the Frontier of the Climate Crisis, she told the meeting that, so far, only 21 percent of climate finance is going in adaptation activities.
“Of the $70 billion that developing countries need now to adapt, only a fraction is being provided” said the UN’s Deputy Chief, adding that by 2030, adjustment costs for developing countries could rise to $300 billion every year.
Apart from becoming a moral imperative, there is a clear economic case for early investments in adaptation and resilience.
The programme has enormous potential to provide quick and transformative results to save lives and livelihoods, Deputy Director said. It will also build climate resilience measures, to respond to the impact of Covid-19, climate change and the economy.
Addressing the climate crisis, bold #ClimateAction is urgent before it's too late.
This requires a renewed action from donors to allocate at least half of public climate finance to adaptation and resilience, ensuring we keep the promise of the #ParisAgreement. pic.twitter.com/WRwuoEXztb
— Amina J Mohammed (@AminaJMohammed) September 6, 2021
