Elizabeth Wathuti, a fierce Kenyan climate activist on Thursday expressed optimism to see “loss and damage” placed at the heart of the global climate negotiations (COP27) in Egypt from 6th to18th November.
“These negotiations should deliver an outcome that mirrors the needs of our continent and the people who are hit by the worst impacts of the climate crisis,” said Wathuti in a statement.
Loss and damage funding arrangements are on the provisional agenda for COP27.
This will give much needed space for parties to agree on the urgent action that is needed.
As droughts, floods and heatwaves hit frontline communities and climate vulnerable developing countries harder each year, everyone is looking at the EU on loss and damage and adaptation finance ahead of and at COP27 for an appropriate response.
“I hope that the leaders at the negotiations are feeling the strong urgency for this issue as they go into negotiations next week,” Wathuti said.
Climate experts point out that loss and damage disproportionally affects vulnerable populations — people on the front lines of the crisis with the least resources.
For decades, vulnerable nations have called for financial support from rich countries to help them cope with increasingly alarming and damaging climate impacts that they hold little responsibility for causing.
Adopting loss and damage finance arrangements as a formal agenda item at COP27 in Egypt can help reach consensus on solutions, according to climate experts.
The upcoming U.N. climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt (COP27) offers an opportunity to break the stalemate on this critical issue and start taking action, it said.
CU/as/APA