The gap between available funding and what is needed to implement climate adaptation strategies is growing as the effects of climate change become more severe, according to a new report from United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) on Thursday.
Released ahead of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) that will take place in Egypt, Sharm el-Sheikh from Nov. 6 to 18, 2022, the Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow - Climate adaptation failure puts the world at risk and finds that global efforts in adaptation planning, financing and implementation are not keeping pace with the growing risks.
The report calls on governments to prioritize climate change given these mounting dangers.
A multiyear drought in the Horn of Africa, unprecedented flooding in South Asia and severe summer heat across the northern hemisphere are pointing to increasing risks and these impacts are coming at 1.1°C above pre-industrial temperatures.
Even though the target is to limit the global warming increase by 1.5°C by the end of the century, a recent Emissions Gap report from UNEP shows that nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement point toward global warming of 2.4-2.6°C by the end of the century.
"Climate change is landing blow after blow upon humanity, as we saw throughout 2022: most viscerally in the floods that put much of Pakistan under water," said Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP, was quoted as saying in the report.
The funding and implementation of actions should be designed to help vulnerable nations and communities adapt to the climate storm, the report said.
"The world must urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the impacts of climate change. But we must also urgently increase efforts to adapt to the impacts that are already here and those to come. Nations need to back the strong words in the Glasgow Climate Pact with strong action to increase adaptation investments and outcomes, starting at COP27."
- $100 billion pledged to developing nations has not materialized in reality
Although the UNEP report finds that more than eight out of ten countries have at least one national adaptation planning instrument that is improving and becoming more inclusive, financing to turn these plans into action is not following.
One-third of the 197 country Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have incorporated quantified and time-bound targets on adaptation with nearly 90% of planning instruments analyzed displaying consideration for gender and disadvantaged groups.
However, international adaptation finance flows to developing countries are 5 to 10 times below estimated needs and the gap continues to widen, UNEP warns.
The report found that international adaptation finance flows to developing countries reached $29 billion in 2020, up 4% from 2019.
However, the combined adaptation and mitigation finance flow in 2020 fell at least $17 billion short of the $100 billion pledged to developing countries.
UNEP says that significant acceleration is required if the doubling of 2019 finance flows is to be met by 2025.
Annual adaptation needs are estimated to be $160-340 billion a year by 2030 and $315-565 billion a year by 2050.
"Implementation of adaptation actions concentrated in agriculture, water, ecosystems and cross-cutting sectors is increasing, but not keeping up with climate impacts. Without a step change in support, adaptation actions could be outstripped by accelerating climate risks," the report said.
To increase adaptation investments and outcomes, a strong political will is needed and crises such as the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be allowed to derail international efforts to increase adaptation, the authors of the report concluded.
"Unprecedented political will and more long-term investments in adaptation are urgently needed to avoid the adaptation gap from widening," it said in the report.
- "Most vulnerable people and communities paying the price"
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was quoted as saying in the report that “the world is failing to protect people from the here-and-now impacts of the climate crisis.”
"Those on the front lines of the climate crisis are at the back of the line for support. The world is falling far short both in stopping the growth of greenhouse gas emissions and starting desperately needed efforts to plan, finance and implement adaptation in light of growing risks," he underlined.
Guterres said adaptation needs in the developing world are set to skyrocket to as much as $340 billion a year by 2030.
However, he said that today's adaptation support stands at less than one-tenth of that amount and the most vulnerable people and communities are paying the price.
"This is unacceptable," Guterres said, urging that this adaptation gap be addressed at the upcoming UN Climate Conference.
"I challenge governments, academia, data and digital technology institutions and private companies to work together to boost investment to make it happen. This will save lives and protect livelihoods. COP27 must provide a clear and time-bound roadmap for closing the finance gap for addressing loss and damage. We have no time to lose," he concluded.
By Nuran Erkul Kaya
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr