Urgent Action on Adaptation Needed More Than Ever Before to Address the Climate Emergency
10 September 2019. The development and humanitarian aid agency CARE welcomes the strong call for adaptation to the impacts of the climate crisis issued today in a report by the Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA). The Commission’s report Adapt now: A global call for leadership on climate resilience highlights the severity of today’s climate crisis and the disproportionate impacts on poor and vulnerable communities and people. The report also outlines that, though many solutions exist, there are still many barriers to implementation.
“The climate crisis is a global injustice, as those who contributed least are often most vulnerable to its adverse impacts. The GCA report finds that women and girls are disproportionately affected. Solutions to these climate-related inequities must address underlying power structures and address the increasing adaptation needs of women and girls. CARE cannot accept a climate apartheid where only well-off people adapt, and the poor are left behind.”
Vitumbiko Chinoko, CARE Southern Africa’s Advocacy and Partnerships Coordinator
“The report is crystal clear: increased efforts to adapt to harmful climate impacts must be complemented by accelerated emission reductions. If global temperatures increase by 3°C instead of 1.5°C, highly damaging scenarios are plausible and the very existence of entire communities and societies is threatened. CARE expects governments convening in less than 2 weeks from now at the UN Climate Action Summit to act on this injustice and commit to a resilient future for all.”
Inge Vianen, Global Leader of CARE’s Climate Change and Resilience Platform
“We welcome that the Commission’s report highlights the need to scale up international financial support for adaptation in developing countries. It rightfully points to the need for developed countries to double their financial support to the Green Climate Fund. But the report misses a big opportunity for analysing and proposing innovative mechanisms of public finance, such as airline levies or fossil fuel extraction taxes, which would raise much needed additional billions of USD.“
Sven Harmeling, CARE’s Global Policy Lead on Climate Change and Resilience