Climate Adaptation Summit: Well-intentioned but lacking in substance, says CARE International
Netherlands, January 25 — In response to the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021, CARE International’s Global Leader on Climate and Resilience Inge Vianen said:
“Although we applaud the intention, we haven’t seen any signs of new, substantive action at the first Climate Adaptation Summit. Leaders didn’t address the fact that developed nations are still not living up to their commitments. Over ten years ago, developed countries promised to spend 50bn USD on extra support for adaptation in developing nations by 2020 and so far they’ve only delivered a fifth of this. CARE’s research on adaptation finance released last week shows that publicised support has been exaggerated and over-reported.
As we speak, cyclone Eloise is bearing down on Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and displacement camps in Syria have been destroyed by heavy flooding. There can be no compromises on climate finance when vulnerable communities are at risk right now. We need to see a clear plan on how countries will live up to their commitments and seriously boost financial contributions in the run up to COP26, along with honest and transparent accounting.”
In response to the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021, Obed Koringo, CARE’s Civil Society Advocacy Coordinator (Kenya) said:
“As we recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19, adaptation finance has to be at the forefront of the climate conversation. CARE welcomes the launching of the Adaptation Action Agenda at the Climate Adaptation Summit and sees merit in promised tools like an annual State and Trends report on adaptation.
However, this action agenda lacks tangible commitments for scaling up locally-led, gender-transformative adaptation action and accountability measures. It’s also not clear how implementation of the agenda will prioritise coherent multilateral efforts in support of vulnerable people in developing countries at a time when the USA rejoining the Paris Agreement offers new political momentum. We look forward to seeing how good energy and intentions translates into real adaptation finance for frontline communities dealing with worsening climate impacts.”
ENDS
Notes
Read CARE’s full report: Climate Adaptation Finance: Fact or Fiction?
Contacts
Juliet Perry, Global Communications Lead on Climate Change, CARE International: perry@carenederlands.org, +31615574513