Climate Vulnerability Monitor 2010

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Climate Vulnerability Monitor 2010 CLIMATE VULNERABILITYThe State MONITOR of the Climate 2010 Crisis EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Estimated figures are based on scientific research or expert assumptions in a world marked with uncertainty. The real numbers could be higher or lower. CLIMATE VULNERABILITY * All estimated mortality statistics or deaths are representative of more widespread harm. Every 100,000 deaths would normally indicate several million cases of illness or disability (DALYs), or people displaced, IN NUMBERS injured or in need of emergency assistance. Nearly Some AlreaDY 1 MILLION 5 MILLION 350,000 CLimate CHANGE DriveN CLIMATE DEATHS CLIMATE DEATHS DeatHS* estimateD every ESTIMATED OVER THE NEXT ESTIMATED EACH siNGLE year FROM 2030 IF TEN YEARS IN ABSENCE OF YEAR TODAY actiON is NOT taKEN AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE AlmoST Over ArounD 80% 99% 150 BILLION OF ALL CLIMATE DEATHS ARE OF ALL MORTALITY DOLLARS IN LOSSES REGISTERED ONLY AMONG OCCURS IN TO TODAY’S ECONOMY CHILDREN LIVING IN SOUTH DEVELOPING ESTIMATED TO BE CAUSED ASIA OR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA COUNTRIES BY CLIMATE CHANGE More THan Some Over HALF 170 50 OF THE TOTAL COUNTRIES -- OR MOST OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE MEASURES INCLUDED ECONOMIC LOSSES THE WORLD -- HAVE HIGH IN THIS REPORT ARE READILY AVAILABLE TAKE PLACE IN VULNERABILITY TO CLIMATE TO LIMIT VIRTUALLY ALL HARM CAUSED INDUSTRIALIZED CHANGE IN AT LEAST ONE KEY BY CLIMATE CHANGE -- JUST A GLIMPSE COUNTRIES IMPACT AREA ALREADY TODAY OF THE MANY MORE OPTIONS AVAILABLE The Parties should take precautionary measures to anticipate, prevent or minimize the causes of climate change and mitigate its adverse effects. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing such measures. 1992 UniteD NationS FrameWorK Convention on Climate CHanGE The Climate Vulnerability Monitor aims CountrieS: to advance understanding of the impacts Climate Climate of climate change on human society and 184 IMPact AreaS Vulnerability actions needed to address these effects. It combines a series of measures, Time FrameS: HEalTH ImPACT - additional mortality FactorS due to climate sensitive diseases ranging from human health and extreme £ ACUTE (most vulnerable category) weather to desertification, sea-level 2010 anD WEATHER DIsasTERS - additional rise and stresses on natural resources mortality and damage in storms, £ SEVERE and productive sectors of the economy. floods and wildfires These indicators provide a probable 2030 £ HIGH HABITAT LOss - additional loss picture of the current state of the £ MODERATE climate crisis for 184 countries around of human habitat to rising seas, the world both today and for 2030. This and degrading arid lands £ LOW (least vulnerable category) global assessment provides the first ECONOMIC STREss - extra losses in comprehensive overview of vulnerability the primary/agricultural sectors of the to climate change in an internationally economy and to key natural resources comparable form. The 2010 Monitor's Adaptation Performance Review further IRIN highlights over 50 effective measures that can be readily taken to reduce the identified impacts of climate change. Sinan Mahmoud/ Sinan A New TOOL FOR assessiNG THE vuLNerabiLity OF TODay’S WORLD AND its NatiONS TO CLimate CHANGE Director General of The Energy Ian Christoplos ADVISORY Resources Institute (TERI) Senior Project Researcher of the EDITORIAL Teresa Ribera Danish Institute for International PANEL Studies (DIIS) TEAM Mary Chinery-Hesse Secretary of State for Climate SteerING GrOUP CO - ChaIrs Change of Spain Pierre Encontre Chief Advisor to the Former Ross Mountain Johan Rockström Chief of Special Programmes President of Ghana, Member Director General of DARA of the Panel of the Wise Executive Director of the of the Division for Africa, Least of the African Union Stockholm Environment Developed Countries and Marc Limon Special Programmes of the Counsellor of the Maldives Helen Clark Institute (SEI) and Stockholm Resilience Centre UN Conference on Trade and Mission to the UN and other Administrator of the UN Development (UNCTAD) Hans Joachim Schellnhuber international organizations Development Programme (UNDP) Anne Hammill in Geneva CONTENTS Jan Eliasson Founding Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Senior Researcher on Climate Former President of the UN DARA PREFACE 5 / Impact Research (PIK) Change and Energy of the General Assembly, Former International Institute for Matthew McKinnon Foreign Minister of Sweden Klaus Töpfer Sustainable Development (IISD) (Coordinating Editor) FINDINGS & OBSERVATIONS 6 / José María Figueres Former Executive Director Lucía Fernández Suárez of the UN Environment Juergen Kropp Former President of Costa Rica, RECOMMENDATIONS 7 / Programme (UNEP) Head of the North-South Research Geeta Uhl Chairman of the Carbon War Room Group of the Potsdam Institue for Margareta Wahlström THE MONITOR / Saleemul Huq Climate Impact Research (PIK) COmmOns COnsUltants UN Assistant Secretary-General HOW DOES THE MONITOR WORK? 8 / Senior Fellow at the International Søren Peter Andreasen for Disaster Risk Reduction Marc Levy Institute for Environment and Deputy Director of the Centre (Production Editor) Michael Zammit Cutajar DATA TABLES 9-11 / Development (IIED) for International Earth Science Jakob Mathias Wichmann Yolanda Kakabadse Former Executive Secretary of Information Network (CIESIN) the UN Framework Convention Anne-Mette Steinmeier IMPACTS / International President of the of the Earth Institute at on Climate Change (UNFCCC) World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Columbia University Peter Utzon Berg WHO SUFFERS? 12 / Bo Lim Andreas Hastrup Clemmensen Ashok Khosla A FAST GROWING IMPACT 13 / President of the International Special Climate Change Advisor of UN Development Programme Union for Conservation of A CLIMATE-DEVELOPMENT NEXUS 14 / Nature (IUCN), Chairman of PEER REVIEW (UNDP) Development Alternatives, Urs Luterbacher RESPONSE / Co-Chair of the UN Resources Panel COMMITTEE Chairman of the Environmental HOW TO RESPOND? 15 / Ricardo Lagos Yasemin Aysan Studies Unit of the Graduate Former President of Chile, Institute of International and Former Under Secretary General ADAPTATION Former President of the Club of International Federation of Development Studies of Madrid Red Cross and Red Crescent Pascal Peduzzi PERFORMANCE REVIEW 16 / Loren Legarda Societies (IFRC) Head of the Early Warning Unit of THE ADAPTATION GAP 17 / Senator of the Philippines, UN Suruchi Bhadwal the Global Resource Information International Strategy for Disaster Database (GRID – Europe) of Associate Director of the Earth AFFECTED GROUPS / Reduction (ISDR) Regional Sciences and Climate Change the UN Environment Programme Champion for Disaster Risk Division of The Energy and (UNEP) FRAGILE NATIONS 18 / Reduction and Climate Change Resources Institute (TERI) Hansjoerg Strohmeyer SMALL ISLAND Adaptation for Asia and the Pacific Manuel Carballo Chief of the Policy Development The Advisory Panel and Peer DEVELOPING STATES 19 / Ahmed Naseem Executive Director of the and Studies Branch of the UN Review Committee members Minister of Foreign Affairs International Centre for Office for the Coordination of serve in their personal capacity of the Maldives Migration and Health (ICMH) Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) providing input to the Climate AFRICA & SOUTH ASIA 20 / Vulnerability Initiative that informs Rajendra Pachauri Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum Farhana Yamin the development of the Climate EMERGING MARKETS 21 / Chairman of the Senior Scientist on Public Health Portfolio Manager of the Climate Vulnerability Monitor. DARA is Intergovernmental Panel and Environment of the World Change Division of the Children’s solely responsible for the final on Climate Change (IPCC), Health Organisation (WHO) Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) content of this report. ADVANCED ECONOMIES 22 / The Climate Vulnerability Monitor lays bare the meet this growing challenge. If not, the Monitor 5 / CVM 2010 / EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / P sheer scale and breadth of the impacts we estimates that by 2030, over 130 countries already face. It breaks ground in pinpointing will be highly vulnerable to climate change; Preface our vulnerabilities to climate change all while over 50 countries will suffer the kinds of around the world. It shows how each country acute impacts that just a handful of particularly Climate change is vulnerable in different ways -- some due to fragile states are experiencing today. According health reasons or extreme weather patterns, to the scientific consensus, we must also is the most urgent and others as a result of economic factors begin reversing our patterns of emissions or because of land loss from expanding within the next five years to avoid even greater challenge of our time. deserts or rising sea-levels. It explains why temperature change and greater harm. many nations at the climate frontline feel the As with every study of this kind, the Monitor impacts of climate change more intensely. lacks complete certainty, but highlights And it demonstrates how quickly vulnerability enough threats of serious, or even irreversible, is accelerating almost everywhere, so that re harm that inaction is unconscionable. F ultimately climate change could threaten the ace livelihoods, if not the survival, of all nations There is still time to act and it is well within and peoples. The fate of the world is tied to our power to solve the climate crisis. A the fate of the most vulnerable. world free from pollution would be healthier for everyone; technologies could
Recommended publications
  • Climate Change: Exacerbating Poverty and Inequality 82 World Social Report 2020
    INEQUALITY IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD QUOTE CHAPTER 3 CLIMATE CHANGE: EXACERBATING POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 82 WORLD SOCIAL REPORT 2020 CHAPTER 3 CLIMATE CHANGE: EXACERBATING POVERTY AND INEQUALITY KEY MESSAGES • The effects of climate change are experienced to varying degrees across and within countries due to differences in exposure, susceptibility and coping capacities. If left unaddressed, climate change will lead to increased inequality both within and among countries and could leave a substantial part of the world further behind. • Developing countries, particularly small island developing States, face disproportionate risks from an altered climate, while high-income countries are generally less vulnerable and more resilient. • Within countries, people living in poverty and other vulnerable groups – including smallholder farmers, indigenous peoples and rural coastal populations – are more exposed to climate change and incur greater losses from it, while having fewer resources with which to cope and recover. • Climate change can generate a vicious cycle of increasing poverty and vulnerability, worsening inequality and the already precarious situation of many disadvantaged groups. • Just as the effects of climate change are distributed unevenly, so too are the policies designed to counter them. As countries take climate action, there will be trade-offs to consider between the positive and negative effects of mitigation and adaptation measures and distributional impacts. • An equitable transition towards green economies calls for integrating climate goals with social and economic policies aimed at reducing vulnerability, supporting those affected by climate change and creating decent jobs. • At the international level, climate finance, technological transfer and capacity-building can support developing countries in implementing a just transition.
    [Show full text]
  • Africa & the Middle East Regional Dialogue of the Climate Vulnerable Forum Ministerial Segment 29 July 2021 Statement By
    Africa & the Middle East Regional Dialogue of the Climate Vulnerable Forum Ministerial Segment 29 July 2021 Statement by Prof. Walter Kaelin, Envoy of the Chair of the Platform on Disaster Displacement Chairperson, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of the Chair of the Platform on Disaster Displacement, the Government of Fiji, let me thank you for the invitation to take the floor in my capacity as the Envoy of the Chair. PDD is a State-led initiative focusing on the implementation of the Nansen Initiative Agenda for the Protection of Cross-Border Displaced Persons in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change. We work towards better protection for people displaced in the context of disasters and climate change as well as more effective prevention of such displacement. We are proud to be a partner of the Climate Vulnerable Forum. We are pleased to engage with CVF countries, particularly today at the Africa and Middle East Regional Dialogue. We are happy to see Bangladesh, one of the founding members of the PDD and with Madagascar, Morocco, and Senegal several members of our Steering group participating in this important event. We hope that our current engagement in the Horn of Africa and West Africa with activities to improve knowledge on climate-change related displacement, sharing of effective practices, and developing effective policy responses will further deepen our partnerships. We all know that the impacts of climate change, including displacement, are not future scenarios. Displacement in the context of climate change is already happening in all regions of the world, including in Africa and the Middle East.
    [Show full text]
  • Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change
    Indigenous peoples and climate change From victims to change agents nt work nt ce through decent work ents through de through ents ag e ng From victims to cha to victims From Gender, Equality and Diversity Branch (GED) Conditions of Work and Equality Department Indigenous Indigenous - change climate and peoples Green Jobs Programme Enterprises Department International Labour Organization (ILO) 4, route des Morillons CH-1211 Geneva 22 Switzerland Tel: +41 22 799 6730 ISBN 978-92-2-130481-4 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.ilo.org INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE, GENEVA ILO 9 78 9221 304814 Indigenous peoples and climate change From victims to change agents through decent work GENDER, EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY BRANCH GREEN JOBS PROGRAMME INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE, GENEVA Copyright © International Labour Organization 2017 First published 2017 Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation, application should be made to ILO Publications (Rights and Licensing), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, or by email: rights@ilo. org. The International Labour Office welcomes such applications. Libraries, institutions and other users registered with a reproduction rights organization may make copies in accordance with the licences issued to them for this purpose. Visit www.ifrro.org to find the reproduction rights organization in your country. Indigenous peoples and climate change : from victims to change agents through decent work / International Labour Office, Gender, Equality and Diversity Branch.
    [Show full text]
  • 2018 CVF Virtual Summit
    2018 CVF Virtual Summit 22 November 2018 Summit Communique We, Heads of State and Government, representatives of a significant number of those nations most vulnerable to the dangers of global climate change, member states of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), Building on nearly a decade of collaboration among nations most vulnerable to climate change, under the leadership of our Forum’s successive presidencies: Maldives, Kiribati, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Philippines, Ethiopia and the Marshall Islands, Proudly recalling the founding declaration of the CVF adopted at Male’ on 10 November 2009, and subsequent resolutions of the Forum’s High Level body in particular its most recent decision adopted at Marrakech in November 2016 together with the Forum’s Vision, and the 2015–2018 decisions of the Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group of Ministers of Finance of the member states of the CVF, Convening for an inaugural Summit as our input to this year’s critical United Nations Climate Change Conference at Katowice (COP24) and in particular the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Talanoa Dialogue that concludes there, Recognizing the CVF Summit Champions’ efforts highlighting the special leadership and engagement of women in tackling climate change, while emphasizing the importance of mainstreaming gender considerations throughout climate action per the UNFCCC’s Gender Action Plan, Resolute in our commitment and support for urgently accelerating and strengthening the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Change and Health Health Professionals Joint Call for Action
    Climate Change and Health Health Professionals Joint Call for Action Health professional groups recognise human-caused climate change as an increasingly serious and urgent threat to health and health equity in New Zealand and worldwide. In contrast, rapid and effective action on climate change represents an important opportunity to improve health, by avoiding negative health impacts and by realising significant health and equity co-benefits from well-designed climate policies. We note that globally: • Climate change is already contributing to global disease, disability and premature death – most seriously affecting people in poor countries, and the poorest within all countries. We note that health threats for New Zealand include: • Direct impacts – e.g. from high temperatures and other extreme weather events such as storms, floods and droughts, causing illness and injuries. • Biologically-mediated impacts – e.g. changing patterns of infectious disease, global rises in food prices impacting on New Zealanders’ nutrition. • Socially-mediated impacts – e.g. loss of livelihoods, forced migration, economic vulnerability and increased risks of conflict. We also note opportunities for health through action on climate change: • More walking, cycling and public transport reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, increases physical activity, and can reduce health-damaging air pollution and road traffic injuries. • Healthy diets that include more plants and fewer animal products could reduce agricultural GHG emissions, while reducing cancer and heart disease. • Improving housing (e.g. insulation) reduces illnesses associated with cold, damp home environments, and also cuts GHG emissions from home heating. These health co-benefits could reduce the burden of ill-health from the leading causes of death and illness in New Zealand, such as cardiovascular disease, cancers, obesity and diabetes, with large cost savings to the health sector.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Countries Forging Ahead with Implementing the Marrakech Vision on 100% Renewable Energy
    PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Countries Forging Ahead with Implementing the Marrakech Vision on 100% Renewable Energy New York, 17 July 2018: Today, two years after the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) shook the work by announcing a bold vision to achieve ‘100% domestic renewable energy production as rapidly as possible while working to end energy poverty and protect water and food security,’ the Forum under the Presidency of Ethiopia and in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and Climate Action Network (CAN) is bringing that vision to life by convening the first CVF Energy Dialogue focussed on implementation of the 100% renewable energy vision. Attended by more than 30 members of the Forum and various partners who are in support to the CVF long-term vision, the Dialogue is being held alongside the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (UNHPLF) currently underway in New York. It aims to mobilize the necessary technical capacity, resources and partnerships to complete the energy transition. The discussions are focussing on taking stock of the current situation and considering how CVF members may progress the renewable energy agenda together. In 2018 the UNHLPF is considering progress on Sustainable Development Goal 7, notably to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.” This is of particular relevance to CVF countries where access to modern energy services is an enormous challenge despite it being the backbone of development and prosperity (UNDP 2009). As renewables become cheaper, there is a unique opportunity for CVF countries to transform their energy systems and reap the fruits of the various co-benefits that renewables provide in terms of economic growth, jobs and health.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Change Policy Brief | Can Climate Vulnerability and Risk Be Measured Through Global Indices?
    Climate Change Policy Brief Can climate vulnerability and risk be measured through global indices? September 2017 This policy brief ... Vulnerability indices are not appropriate for identifying particularly vulnerable countries This policy brief addresses the through country rankings difficulties of determining vulnerability through global Reducing vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change is one part of the global indices and gives recommendations goal on adaptation established by the Paris Agreement. Vulnerability is a broad concept on how to use and interpret them with varying conceptualisations and there is no objective way of measuring it. A num- including in the international ber of global indices exist which select certain indicators to quantify and compare the climate policy context. The policy vulnerability of countries. However, the results of different vulnerability indices vary brief is based on a comparison strongly and it is practically impossible to determine the most vulnerable countries. of country rankings of four common One reason is the divergent design of indices, which follows many normative, conceptu- vulnerability and risk indices. al and methodological assumptions and decisions. The results, therefore, are a product of the specific choice of indicators and their respective weighting. It becomes obvious that no single index can capture the multiple dimensions of vulnerability completely, but can only provide a preliminary assessment. Consequently, important political de- cisions should not be based solely on country rankings of vulnerability indices. Due to their conceptual limitations and differing results, they are not appropriate as sole basis for decision making on, for instance, international funding allocations that are supposed to be based on objective criteria.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Vulnerability Monitor Nd 2Edition a Guide to the Cold Calculus of a Hot Planet
    CLIMATE VULNERABILITY MONITOR ND 2EDITION A GUIDE TO THE COLD CALCULUS OF A HOT PLANET Climate Vulnerable Forum KEY TO THE MONITOR DEATHS ECONOMIC COST MULTI-DIMENSIONAL 2010YEAR 2030VULNERABILITY 2010YEAR 2030 CLIMATE CHANGE IN CLIMATE VULNERABILITY CLIMATE ACUTEW MOZAMBIQUE COUNTRY 2 HIGHU CHANGE IN VULNERABILITY CARBON COUNTRY GROUP CARBON HOTSPOTS MULTI-DIMENSIONAL Countries estimated to experience among the largest VULNERABILITY total impacts of any country irrespective of overall size of CARBON population or wealth/GDP in at least one of the indicators MULTI-DIMENSIONAL COMBINED CAPACITY CLIMATE + CARBON VULNERABILITY COUNTRY GROUPS MULTI-DIMENSIONAL CAPACITY W INCREASING ACUTE DEVELOPED 4 EXTENSIVE P STABLE SEVERE OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED 3 INTERMEDIARY U DECREASING HIGH DEVELOPING COUNTRY HIGH EMITTERS 2 RESTRICTED MODERATE DEVELOPING COUNTRY LOW EMITTERS 1 HIGHLY RESTRICTED LOW ACUTE + ACUTE - SEVERE + SEVERE - HIGH + HIGH - MODERATE LOW COUNTRY GROUPS List of countries by main Monitor country groups DEVELOPING COUNTRY LOW EMITTERS DEVELOPED (ANNEX II) (NON-ANNEX I BELOW 4 TONS CO2E 2005) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Barbados, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chad, Colombia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
    [Show full text]
  • CARE G20 and Climate Change Report
    CARE Climate Change and climate change time to lead for a safer future CONTENTS SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATIONS 3 CLIMATE CHANGE DISRUPTS DEVELOPMENT 4 G20 AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS 5 CLIMATE CHANGE DISRUPTS DEVELOPMENT 6 1.5ºC: THE RECORD WE MUST NOT BREAK 7 G20 COUNTRIES: MAJOR HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTORS TO HARMFUL EMISSIONS 8 PROMOTE RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR CLIMATE & PEOPLE 9 EXTREME WEATHER HITS G20 AND CAUSES LOSSES 10 G20 PREPARE FOR IMPACTS, BUT OTHER COUNTRIES ARE MORE VULNERABLE 11 G20 FAIL TO STOP SUBSIDISING HARMFUL FOSSIL FUELS 12 CLIMATE CHANGE AND GENDER EQUALITY: MORE WORK AHEAD 13 DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN G20 MUST INCREASE ADAPTATION FINANCE 14 RECOMMENDATIONS 15 REFERENCES 16 2 SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATIONS Four Key Actions PROTECT THE POOR FROM CLIMATE RISKS The G20 countries should commit to increasing the protection of the poor and vulnerable, in particular women and girls, against climate risks through Four Key Facts proactive adaptation, pro-poor insurance approaches, and investing into social protection systems in vulnerable developing countries. Developed countries in G20 FEEL CLIMATE IMPACTS & ADAPT the G20 need to ramp up adaptation and loss and damage finance to poor Climate impacts have already hit G20 countries, and analyses show they are countries and cooperation with V20 countries and Africa needs to be intensified. not equally vulnerable nor prepared, but have started to adapt. However, many poorer countries are more vulnerable with less capacity. PROMOTE RADICAL EMISSION REDUCTIONS TOWARDS 1.5°C LIMIT CLIMATE CHANGE DISRUPTS DEVELOPMENT All G20 governments should provide Nationally Determined Contributions One of the greatest inequalities in the world is reflected in the causes and (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement with high ambition levels that are consistent consequences of climate change.
    [Show full text]
  • What Can Least Developed Countries and Other Climate Vulnerable Countries Expect from the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)?1
    What can Least Developed Countries and other climate vulnerable countries expect from the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)?1 Introduction The European Commission (EC) has made an EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) a high political priority under the European Green Deal. The measure is seen by EU CBAM advocates as important for preventing ‘carbon leakage’, for maintaining domestic support for strengthened EU climate action over the next decade and for encouraging decarbonisation in global supply chains. The idea has already generated strong reactions from many third countries, notably the BASIC grouping (Brazil, South Africa, India and China)2 in the context of the UNFCCC, and upper-middle income countries such as Russia3 in the context of the WTO. These reactions have criticized the measure as ‘green trade protectionism’, and for being inconsistent with the UNFCCC principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities’ (CBDR). However, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and other climate vulnerable countries – including members of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, V20, Africa Group and/or Alliance of Small Island Developing States (AOSIS) – will also be both directly and indirectly impacted by the measure, and will be concerned about the potential implications it has for multilateral climate efforts. This briefing is designed to identify key elements of the CBAM proposal from the perspective of these countries. What is the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)? The EC will table a legislative proposal on 14 July 2021 for a CBAM as part of the ’Fit for 55’ package of legislation designed to implement the EU’s new greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 55% below 1990 levels by 2030.4 This will be followed by a co-decision process between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, which normally takes 1-2 years meaning a possible implementation of the mechanism is expected at the earliest in January 2023.
    [Show full text]
  • Pursuing the 1.5°C Limit Benefits & Opportunities
    Empowered lives. Resilient nations. PURSUING THE 1.5°C LIMIT BENEFITS & OPPORTUNITIES 2016 LOW CARBON MONITOR EDITORIAL AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT UNDP General Editor Matthew McKinnon Contributors Jen Stephens Rebekah Martin Haseena Punjani Patricia Zavala Climate Analytics Co-Editors Michiel Schaeffer Marcia Rocha Contributors Michiel Schaeffer Marcia Rocha Bill Hare Carl-Friedrich Schleußner Florent Baarsch Jessie Granadillos Fabio Sferra Niklas Roming Andrzej Ancygier Joshua Gardner Jasmin Cantzler Paola Yanguas Parra Howard Li Matt Beer Graphic Design Matt Beer External advisor Renato Redentor Constantino REVIEW UNDP Jan Kellet Marcel Alers Stephen Gold Patrick Gremillet CVF Expert Mohammed Adow Advisory Monica Araya Group Bill Hare Wael Hmaidan Saleemul Huq Rosa T. Perez Nargizakhon Usmanova CVF National Full List online at Focal Points www.thecvf.org/focalpoints Empowered lives. Resilient nations. PURSUING THE 1.5°C LIMIT BENEFITS & OPPORTUNITIES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank the governments of Philippines and Ethiopia as Chairs of the Climate Vulnerable Forum who enabled this independent report to be developed and to see the light of day. Thanks also goes to the designated national focal points and expert advisory group of the Forum who reviewed the drafts and to senior topic specialists at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for expert advice, in addition to UNSP’s Administrator Helen Clark for her support of the project. Thanks also goes to Red Constantino of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities,
    [Show full text]
  • What You Need to Know About the Paris Agreement
    WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PARIS AGREEMENT 1 FACTSHEET: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PARIS AGREEMENT When a record-breaking 175 nations signed the Paris Agreement at the UN ceremony on April 22, Earth Day 2016 officially became one for the history books. But with a whole bunch of technical and official-sounding terms flying around, it’s not always immediately clear what exactly is happening or why. Here’s how to answer common questions your friends – on the internet or IRL – are probably asking about what’s going on. 2 1. IN ONE SENTENCE – WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? © 2015 Elentari86 / Flickr / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 On April 22 – Earth Day – the Paris Agreement be- came one step closer to having legal effect around the world, as the 195 countries that adopted the agreement in December began signing it – and 175 signing in person at a special UN ceremony. 3 2. WAIT – I THOUGHT THE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED IN DECEMBER. WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW? The Paris Agreement was adopted in December, meaning 195 countries agreed on its contents and a final draft. It was then translated into all six official UN languages and announced clerical errors were fixed. This final version must now be signed by countries, who then ratify it according to their own domestic procedures. 4 3. WHICH COUNTRIES HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED TO SIGNING? ARE THE LARGEST GREENHOUSE GAS EMITTERS (LIKE THE US, CHINA, INDIA, AND THE EU) ON BOARD? On April 22, 175 countries signed the Paris Agreement, which set the record for highest number of countries signing an international agreement on its opening day.
    [Show full text]