Photo Credit: unfccc-events
The urgent need for adaptation as an economic necessity for all countries was highlighted during a press conference hosted by the Stockholm Environment Institute at the Bonn Intersessionals on Tuesday, June 6. The panel featured key voices in the field of adaptation, including Thibyan Ibrahim from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology of the Republic of Maldives, Richard Klein from the Stockholm Environment Institute, and Joshua Amponsem, the Founder of Green Africa Youth Organisation.
The ongoing SB58 meetings are addressing various adaptation-related issues, with a particular focus on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) workshop, which commenced this week. The significance of adaptation discussions during these meetings cannot be overstated, especially considering the persistent calls for doubling adaptation finance, the worsening impacts of climate change, the annual erosion of GDP in vulnerable nations, and the mounting pressure on critical supply chains.
The speakers emphasized a clear message: addressing the adaptation challenge is not just a moral imperative, but also an urgent economic interest for all countries. The discussion revolved around the importance of the GGA, practical implementation of adaptation measures on the ground, and the urgent actions required from the global north. Reflecting on the success of the GGA, Thibyan Ibrahim from the Republic of Maldives expressed his views on the matter saying
“We hope that the framework we’re developing on the GGA, will get adopted at COP28, which is important for developing countries, who often site that adaptation has lagged behind mitigation in terms of political will. We want to see the framework of the GGA, complemented by targeted that can enhance ambition and action on the ground” ~Thibyan Ibrahim, Ministry of Environment, Republic of Maldives
“Between 1990 -2021, damages of around EUR 560 billion occured and the trend is rising. The world economic forum is showing that climate change is the greatest risk to the economy. The globe is connected through trade, supply chains and financial investments and what happens in Europe will affect what happens in the rest of the world and vis~versa.” Adaptation is both a local and global issue. ~Richard Klein from the Stockholm Environment Institute
There are soft limits, where if financial flow was implemented, communities and countries can adapt. But there are also hard limits, where no matter what adaptation measure you put in place, you cannot get them back to safety. The urgency in financial flow is important because Adaptation has a limit. ~ Joshua Amponsem, the Founder of Green Africa Youth Organisation
Related Articles
COP28 Must Focus On Oil And Gas Phase-Out, Not Distractions Like CCS
Bonn Climate Talks: UAE Under Pressure To Outline Plan For COP28
Bonn Intersessional And It’s Role Global Climate Talks
