ACT expects COP25 to commit to strict rules to deliver climate justice

On December 2nd, governments will gather for a new round of UN climate talks at the 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The meeting which was moved from Santiago de Chile to Madrid has a heavy agenda and is expected to deliver on decisions that are important for international cooperation on tackling climate change.

“When parties meet in Madrid, they should not forget the people, families, and communities who have suffered due to cyclones such as Idai and Kenneth in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, heatwaves across India, droughts in the horn of Africa, and other disasters throughout the year,” says Birgitte Qvist-Sørensen, ACT Alliance Moderator.

“It is the very future of these people that governments will talk about, and their concerns must be at the centre of the talks in Madrid,” continues Qvist-Sørensen.

One of the most important issues to be addressed at COP25 is loss and damage. This refers to situations where people are no longer able to adapt to climate impacts, and as a result, are at risk of losing their property, livelihoods, or even their lives.

The debate on climate change has for a long time focused on how to mitigate global warming, and how to adapt to its impacts.

COP25 is also expected to review the work program on gender and climate change, another priority for ACT Alliance. As women in many countries are the ones who are most affected by climate change, all development and climate-related efforts must be guided by principles of gender equality and human rights.

“Nobody must be left behind when we take action on climate change,” says Qvist-Sørensen.

The third topic of interest for ACT is around international cooperation on market-based initiatives as a means to combat climate change. Unfortunately, experience from existing market-based initiatives under the Kyoto Protocol has shown that such initiatives can, in fact, be problematic.

“If the rules on this issue are weak, the international community could seriously undermine global commitments to reduce global emissions,” says Bueno de Faria.

ACT’s delegation will follow the talks AT COP25 closely and will call for strict rules and high ambition.

Original source: ACT Alliance
Published on 28 November 2019