Page 5 - AsiaElec Week 09 2022

AsiaElec COMMENTARY AsiaElec

14% of these flows over the last years, with
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) hovering Response
around 2%, according to green think tank E3G. Green think tank E3G said that current adapta-
Countries should commit to improving the tion finance was insufficient, especially in devel-
quantity, quality and accessibility of adaptation oping countries.
finance, without burdensome procedures for Developed countries urgently need to step up
vulnerable countries. support for vulnerable countries to manage the
Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the impacts of climate change through investment
World Metereological Organisation, said that, in adaptation, resilience and addressing loss and
“Our atmosphere today is on steroids, doped damage, which remains a core ask of developing
with fossil fuels … All countries are affected [by countries.
climate impacts], as we’ve seen in Germany, the More public money is needed, partly to lev-
US and Canada last year. It is likely that prac- erage private capital. This cash needs to be spent
tically all human beings on the planet will face on natural and social infrastructure as well as
major disasters by the end of this century.” physical assets.
Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the Current financial support and pledges do not
United Nations Environment Programme, said go far enough to address the needs of those most
that the, “clear message is climate change isn’t affected, who have done the least to contribute to
lurking around the corner waiting to pounce, it’s climate change.
already here raining down blows on people. We “Dramatically accelerating the phase out of
are in an emergency heading for a disaster.” fossil fuels and slashing emissions in half this
Crucially, she said that adaptation efforts so decade is essential to avoid the risks that cli-
far were “too weak.” mate change poses to our societies, economies
The IPCC’s Climate Change report message and security. Today’s report should be another
is clear and unequivocal: “Any further delay in reminder to our leaders of the urgency of this
concerted anticipatory global action on adapta- challenge, and what is at stake if we fail to adapt
tion and mitigation will miss a brief and rapidly and to decarbonise fast enough. The IPCC’s next
closing window of opportunity to secure a livea- report in April will show that we already have
ble and sustainable future for all.” many of the solutions to get there. What we lack
Emissions are crucial to keeping global is the political will,” said Tom Evans, Policy Advi-
warming in check. The IPPC report’s emphasis sor for Climate Diplomacy at E3G.
that the rise is now at 1.2C means that the world It is now up to developed world to come up
only has 0.3C left. with the finance needed by poorer countries.
Emissions need to fall now to avoid missing Poorer communities are usually on the front
the target. Research published by Our World in line of climate change and bear the biggest con-
Data found that emissions must be cut by 15% a sequences, but they have contributed the least to
year from now on to meet the 1.5C target. the problem.

Week 09 02•March•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P5