DanChurchAid and Climate Change DCA briefing note, February 2019

Introduction This paper offers an overview of DCA engagement related to climate change in 20171. The analysis is made with the same assessment tool as the Danish ministry of foreign affairs are using when they are compiling their reports about climate finance to the UN. That system is called Rio-markers, and it is part of the DAC reporting. With the Rio-markers it is possible to identify if a project is eligible as “climate finance”, and if it thus can be counted as a contribution to the agreed financial targets for climate support to developing countries. However, Rio-markers are only covering “adaptation” and “mitigation” projects, and in the climate debate a third category, “Loss and Damage”, is also addressed. Therefore, for this DCA assessment, an additional marker for “loss and damage” was developed. This marker is based on existing rules about “loss and damage” but it is not officially acknowledged.

Overview of DCA climate change projects The vast majority of development and humanitarian projects in 2017, were assessed. A few projects were not assessed, e.g. projects with a cross-cutting/cross border nature and internal DCA projects. The assessment show that more than 30% of the projects (and more than 20% of the funds) have a link to climate change (mitigation, adaptation or loss and damage).

Most climate change related projects are linked to the “Building resilient communities” goal of DCA. These projects were in almost all cases linked to adaptation, where mitigation in some cases were noted as a co-benefit. Only a few projects had mitigation as a major focus.

27% of humanitarian projects, linked to the DCA “save lives” goal, had also links to climate change. The majority of these projects were focused on loss and damage, and in some cases with adaptation as a co-benefit. Overview based on amounts of support The amounts have been calculated based on the Rio markers (adaptation and mitigation) and a loss and damage marker (developed by DCA). The methods ensure that funds only are counted once, i.e. if a project contributes to both adaptation and mitigation, the allocation will be divided. Furthermore, the method ensures that the full budget of a project is counted as climate finance, if climate change is explicitly mentioned in the objectives of the project, while only 50% of the budget will be accounted as climate finance if climate change is indirectly linked to project objectives or mentioned as concrete activities.

Adaptation Mitigation Loss and Damage Total Funds spent on 84.759.055 DKK 16.336.979 DKK 28.644.067 DKK 129.740.103 DKK climate change globally % of DCA 16% 3% 5% 25% international budget

Overview based on number of projects It is should be noted that the same project can relate to several categories. E.g. an irrigation project (adaptation) using energy from solar power (mitigation). It should also be noted that a few projects

1 Assessment carried out by Lærke Bruhn Elming , Pernille Westphall, and Mattias Söderberg, in 2018 were not included in the assessment and that the numbers used in this paper thus are qualified estimations.

Adaptation Mitigation Loss and Total Damage Number of climate change related projects 81 21 20 100 (globally) % of total number of projects with link to 28% 7% 7% 35% climate change (globally)

Mitigation Mitigation includes activities to reduce emissions, and thus mitigate climate change. This can be done in the following ways:

1) Energy supply – to switch the source of energy, e.g. from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This category is not as black-white as it may seem. To switch from coal (big emissions) to gas (low emissions) can for example be a necessary option in some cases. To use nuclear power is ok from a climate perspective, but it may have other very dangerous environmental effects. Water power is often seen as a good solution, but big power stations may displace people. Biofuels could also be a solution, but some types of biofuel, where food is used as input, or where forest is cut down to enable biofuel production, are solutions which can have negative effect on local development. 2) Energy Efficiency – To use energy in a more efficient manner, or in other words, to reduce emissions by changing methods, and equipment, is a good way to reduce emissions. In many cases it includes technology solutions, but it can also be a matter of culture and methodology used. What we eat could also be mentioned in relation to this category. Even if emissions from animals are not related to energy, emission-concentration can be reduced if we switch from bief consumption to more climate friendly food (e.g. vegetarian), or if food waste is reduced. 3) Sinks – A sink is a way to sequester CO2. Forests, land and sea are natural sinks and that is why tree planting and agroforestry are good activities. However, there are also risks we should be aware of. Some donors promote “climate smart agriculture” which is a concept where smallholders are invited to trade with carbon, e.g. to receive money for carbon they sequester with the agriculture. That is risky, and potentially costly, for smallholders. Some countries are also promoting “Carbon Capture and Storage” which is a costly and risky way to lock CO2 in the ground. 4) Geo-engineering – New solutions to mitigate climate change can be labeled “geo- engineering”. This category is still not put in practice and includes several rather worrying initiatives, such as “solar radiation”. Mitigation in DCA Mitigation was not a focus in development or humanitarian projects in 2017. However, some (7% of all projects in the study) projects included a mitigation element. Some of the mitigation activities which were applied in DCA projects in 2017 were:

• Agriculture practice which promote carbon sequestration (sinks) • Cooking stoves (energy efficiency) • Tree planting (sinks) • Solar power (energy supply)

The following projects are good mitigation examples.

Project name Country Mitigation activities Farmer-managed Organic Climate friendly agriculture Conservation Agriculture and and solar based irrigation (also Livelihoods (FOCAL). adaptation) M-PAYAG Solar Energy Solar power Solution in Uganda. ACT Tree Malawi Reforestation Cover

Adaptation Even if the ambition to mitigate climate change is scaled up, we will still see effects of climate change in the coming years. CO2 which is already in the atmosphere will continue to influence the climate, with dramatic effects. It is therefore important to adapt. Adaptation is not a new type of activity. On the contrary it is one of the main activities of DCA, especially within “building resilient communities”. A lot of DRR and agriculture projects can also be labeled adaptation. Adaptation in DCA Adaptation is a focus area for many DCA programs. As mentioned 28% of all projects relate to adaptation. If we only look at long term development projects, the percentage increase to 31% on global level, and 39%, if we look at projects in . It should be noted that the percentage would be even higher if only projects relating to “building resilient communities” would be counted. However, the research do not make this distinction and the projects relating to “fighting extreme inequalities” (with limited relevance for climate change) are therefore pulling the percentage down.

Some of the adaptation activities which were applied in DCA projects in 2017 were: • Irrigation • Drought resistant crops • Early warning systems and disaster preparedness • Flood management

The following projects are good adaptation examples.

Project name Country Adaptation activities Innovative Irrigation Malawi Solar powered irrigation (also Technologies for Sustainable mitigation) Livelihood Project Building Disaster Resilient Early warning system and DRR Communities planning Strengthening Sustainable Uganda Early warning system Livelihoods for Vulnerable Rural Households Insect Farming and Insect farming (also mitigation) consumption for improved Nutrition and Self-Reliance in the Kakuma Refugee Camp

Loss and Damage When adaptation has not been enough, people and communities may face “loss and damage” due to the effects of climate change. In some cases people are being displaced, which may lead to migration or a move to refugee camps. When people return to their livelihoods they will need support to rebuild, and to start up their production, and lives, again. In other cases people are not displaced, but they may still face “damage” as their livestock die because of drought, or because their house is damaged due to flooding. Loss and damage in DCA Loss and damage is mainly addressed in humanitarian projects, but there are also a few development projects relating to this theme. If both development and humanitarian projects are counted 7% of all projects relate to loss and damage. If we only assess humanitarian projects the percentage increase to 18%. Some of the loss and damage activities applied in DCA projects in 2017 were:

• Cash support in relation to climate related disasters • Water supply during droughts • Agriculture input, as recovery after climate related disaster • Wash - sanitation in relation to climate related disasters

The following projects are good loss and damage examples.

Project name Country Loss and damage activities Emergency Response to La Water supply Niña Induced Drought Affected Communities Early Recovery support to Cash Tropical Storm Roanu affected people Flood Recovery and Bangladesh Cash, Agriculture input, WASH Empowerment Scaling up Humanitarian Food Malawi Cash/food security Assistance and Nutrition Response

Advocacy Climate change has been an advocacy theme in DCA since 2007. Many concrete advocacy results have been noted during the years, both on national, EU and global level. However, only few climate change advocacy projects were implemented in 2017.

Advocacy work was carried out in cooperation with partners, networks and . In 2017 ACT Alliance, the Danish 92 group and CAN should be mentioned.

Project Country/region Focus Strengthening local climate Uganda Adaptation and Finance, change advocacy - making with a focus on local, local voices heard in the national and international climate debate policy. Work with Faith leaders Southern Voices IV Adaptation Malawi and Cambodia Adaptation, with a focus on to Climate Change national policy. Consortium with CARE. PAL Global Implementation of the DCA advocacy strategy, including support to partner participation in UNFCCC sessions Building Disaster Resilient Cambodia Local and national Communities in Combodia Adaptation

Climate change activities in Climate change was not a focus area for campaign and media work in Denmark, in 2017. However, there were still activities carried out, with support from DCA, with clear links to climate change.

There are no statistics for the Danish climate related activities, but there are 122 second hand shops, plus Wefood shops in Copenhagen and Aarhus. Climate change is also prioritized theme for national allies, including “Grøn Kirke” and DanChurchAid Youth.

Project/Activity Area in Denmark Focus Second hand shops Denmark The focus is fundraising, but second hand shops also contributes to a low consumption, and thus mitigation. Wefood Copenhagen and Aarhus The focus is fundraising, but Wefood contribute to a reduction of foodwaste, and thus mitigation “Grøn kirke” Denmark DCA is an active member of “grøn kirke” were several initiatives, with focus on mitigation were carried out DanChurchaid Youth (NU) Copenhagen A climate group within NU carried out campaign activities related to climate change.