New Partnership Enhances Climate Action In Conflict-Affected Regions

The Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), g7+, and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) have announced a new coordination mechanism to drive climate action in fragile and conflict-affected areas. This initiative supports the COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery, and Peace. The mechanism was launched on 10th June in Abu Dhabi, with Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability Affairs, Abdulla Balalaa, in attendance.

The primary aim of this mechanism is to stimulate climate action and finance for countries and communities facing conflict, fragility, or severe humanitarian needs. The significant gap in resources to build climate resilience in these contexts was highlighted at COP28 in Dubai last December. At the event, 91 countries and 43 organisations committed to addressing this disparity.

Nickolay Mladenov, Director-General of AGDA, emphasised the importance of climate diplomacy in regions affected by fragility or conflict. He stated, "In the run-up to COP28, we launched the AGDA Centre for Climate Diplomacy to advance effective climate change research with special attention paid to mitigating risks in conflict zones." The centre aims to coordinate a shared research agenda with think-tanks, academic institutions, and research bodies to serve as a regional hub for climate research.

Mladenov added that by signing this agreement with g7+ and ODI, AGDA is facilitating crucial action and dialogue. This ensures that the COP28 UAE Declaration translates into more effective programs, practices, and finance solutions. As part of the coordination mechanism, finance providers will convene over the coming days to find tailored programming and finance solutions for fragile and conflict-affected countries.

According to ODI, people living in conflict-affected countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change but often receive far less climate finance for adaptation and resilience efforts. ODI research indicates that between 2010 and 2018, countries in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel region received just US$2-13 per capita in climate finance. In contrast, ‘Least Developed Countries’ not experiencing conflict received an average of $18 per capita.

Mauricio Vazquez, Head of Policy for global risks and resilience at ODI, noted that the key challenge is getting different parts of the community to come together. "This new mechanism is about getting all actors in the same room to address the root causes of climate vulnerability in fragile and conflict-affected places," he said.

Addressing Blind Spots

Helder da Costa, General Secretary of g7+, highlighted an urgent need to address a blind spot in the Paris Agreement. He pointed out that conflict-affected countries that have contributed least to climate change are disproportionately affected by its impact. Da Costa expressed hope that this new coordination mechanism would mobilise consensus among all actors on how best to build resilience in these countries.

This initiative aims to ensure that finances reach those most in need to tackle the impacts of climate change effectively. By bringing together various stakeholders, it seeks to create a unified approach to addressing climate vulnerability in some of the world's most challenging environments.

With inputs from WAM