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Africa: Climate Debt Deferred, 1
AfricaFocus Bulletin
Nov 9, 2010 (101109)
(Reposted from sources cited below)
Editor's Note
"Responsibility for these [greenhouse gas] emissions lies
principally with the developed countries. With less than one fifth
of the world's population they have grown wealthy while emitting
almost three quarters of all historic GHG emissions into an
atmosphere they share with all life on Earth." - Climate Debt
Primer, Third World Network
Rich countries have not accepted the concept of climate debt, which
would imply binding obligations to take action, but at Copenhagen
last year they did pledge "to provide new and additional resources,
including forestry and investments through international
institutions, approaching USD 30 billion for the period 2010 -
2012" as a "fast start" commitment to mitigation and adaptation
programs in developing countries. Fulfilling even this pledge,
however, seems to be off to a slow start.
This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains excerpts from a report from the
World Development Movement detailing the extent to which rich
countries have actually delivered on their "fast start" climate
pledges - only 13 percent delivered to date, only 7 percent actual
new commitments. The Bulletin also contains excerpts from the Third
World Network's primer on climate debt, explaining the basic
concepts.
Another AfricaFocus Bulletin released today, available on the web
at http://www.africafocus.org/docs10/clf1011b.php), but not sent
out by e-mail, contains a recent civil society statement outlining
priorities and principles for climate change financing, and a brief
analysis from the Brookings Institution of the report of the UN's
High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing.
Additional background resources with recent information include:
Report of the Secretary-General's High-level Advisory Group on
Climate Change Financing
http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/climatechange/pages/gateway
Direct URL: http://tinyurl.com/35offmy
Civil Society Papers and Statements on Climate Financing
http://www.un-ngls.org/spip.php?article3104
Climate Debt Resources
http://www.climate-debt.org/resources/documents
Climate Debt - World Development Movement
http://www.wdm.org.uk/climatedebt
World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of
Mother Earth (Cochabamba Conference April 2010, and follow-up)
http://pwccc.wordpress.com/2010/02/06/810/
Third World Network Briefings on Climate Change Negotiations
http://www.twnside.org.sg/climate.htm
For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on the environment and climate
change, visit http://www.africafocus.org/envexp.php
++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note++++++++++++++++++++
A long way to go
An update on the state of fast start climate finance
World Development Movement
http://www.wdm.org.uk/climatedebt
September 2010
[Excerpts]
1. Fast start climate finance to date
"The collective commitment by developed countries is to provide new
and additional resources, including forestry and investments
through international institutions, approaching USD 30 billion for
the period 2010 - 2012 with balanced allocation between adaptation
and mitigation. Funding for adaptation will be prioritized for the
most vulnerable developing countries, such as the least developed
countries, small island developing States and Africa." Copenhagen
Accord, December 2009
In Copenhagen in December 2009, developed countries committed to
provide "approaching" $30 billion to developing countries to help
them tackle climate change between 2010 and 2012. Furthermore this
money would be "new and additional". 'New' would commonly be
understood to mean that it was money which had not been announced
before. 'Additional' means it would be additional to developed
countries pre-existing aid commitments.
However, nine months into 2010, developed countries have done
little to reveal how they are meeting their pledges. On 3
September, the Netherlands published a voluntary database where
governments can disclose how they are meeting their pledges and on
what money is being spent. So far, only six countries have put
information on this website, and not all have given full details of
their spending.
Using the Dutch website, and information in the public domain,
World Development Movement has done the work of developed countries
for them to reveal how much money has been pledged, committed and
actually given, how much is additional and new, and how much is
being given through the World Bank and as loans. Our research shows
that of the $30 billion:
- Only $27.5 billion was ever pledged.
- Just 26 per cent ($7.9 billion) has actually been committed to
specific bilateral or multilateral programmes. For example, Canada,
Denmark, Finland and Ireland have not yet made any announcements as
to how their money will be spent.
- Just 13 per cent ($3.9 billion) has actually been given so far.
The vast majority of this is from Japan's Cool Earth Partnership,
which was first announced in 2008.
- Just 7 per cent ($2.2 billion) is additional to pre-existing aid
commitments. The Netherlands has made all of its fast start finance
additional to its aid commitments. However, most countries,
including the UK, are double-counting all of their fast start
finance as helping to meet their aid commitments as well, such as
those agreed at the G8 meeting in Gleneagles, Scotland, in 2005.
- Just 17 per cent ($5.2 billion) is clearly new money which had
not been announced before Copenhagen. For example, $770 million of
UK fast start finance was first announced in 2007. $14 billion of
Japan's $15 billion pledge was first announced in 2008 (and it
includes money from the private sector in this total as well). A
long way to go An update on the state of fast start climate finance
Moreover, of the $7.9 billion which has been committed so far:
- 42 per cent ($3.3 billion) is to be given to the World Bank.
- 47 per cent ($3.7 billion) is to be given to programmes which
will give loans rather than grants
- Less than 1 per cent ($70 million) is to be given to the UN
Adaptation Fund, the main fund established by international
negotiations to help developing countries adapt to climate change.
...
2. The UN Adaptation Fund
"Long championed by the Philippines, the direct access modality in
the Adaptation Fund was crafted and agreed in the UN as an
alternative to conditionality-spiked, inefficient, bureaucratic
funding from Multilateral Development Banks. Among global climate
funds, the Adaptation Fund represents today the benchmark in terms
of accountability principles, democratic governance and accessible,
developing country-sensitive, non- ODA driven financing
mechanisms." Red Constantino, Institute for Climate and Sustainable
Cities, the Philippines
Donors are "in danger of completely failing to respect the
preferences of most vulnerable countries on how [climate] money
should be managed. It is no secret that these countries welcomed
the establishment of the Adaptation Fund. And it is equally clear
that many of them have serious reservations about funding being
channelled bilaterally or through other existing international
financial institutions, such as the Global Environment Facility or
the World Bank. ... There is a strong perception among developing
country stakeholders that the choice of non-UN channels is meant to
undermine the UN climate change regime. ... The promised quick
start funding provides a unique chance to recover some of the trust
that has been lost on the way to, and at, Copenhagen. Whether it is
realized will depend not only on whether the pledges are actually
redeemed, but also whether the operational preferences of the
recipients are respected." Benito M�ller, University of Oxford
The UN Adaptation Fund was established in Poznan in December 2008.
The Adaptation Fund is unique among climate funds. Firstly, the
Adaptation Fund has been created through international negotiations
with agreement from all parties. This stands in contrast to funds,
such as the World Bank climate investment funds, which have been
created at the instigation of donors. The UN Adaptation Fund
therefore has far more support and active participation amongst
recipient countries.
Secondly, the Adaptation Fund has a unique bottom-up approach to
finance. Any developing country party to the Kyoto protocol can
apply for money, with requests judged by the Adaptation Fund board.
Projects and programmes are designed in-country, leading to greater
country ownership and so better outcomes. When Spain donated �35
million in April 2010, the Adaptation Fund said that this was
noteworthy because: "the money will be disbursed at the sole
discretion of the Adaptation Fund Board to meet the most pressing
funding needs of developing countries, without any conditions
superimposed by the donor."
The Philippines Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile says: "A unique
feature of the Adaptation Fund is to provide developing countries
direct access to the Fund without having to pass through
multilateral development banks such as the World Bank."
Funding for Adaptation Fund projects is given through a recognised
implementing entity. This can be a multilateral organisation such
as the United Nations Development Programme, but can also be a
civil society organisation, such as the Centre de Suivi Ecologique
in Senegal, an association which reports to the Ministry of
Environment. The ability of civil society organisations to access
funds directly is a unique feature for an international funder.
The Adaptation Fund will support urgent projects to help countries
deal with the impacts of climate change they are already
experiencing, such as increased drought and floods. These projects
will help to limit the damage of climate change, and prevent the
need for more expensive emergency assistance. The UN Adaptation
Fund has begun to be inundated with requests for support. So far,
14 countries have requested money, including five Least Developed
Countries, three small island development states, six African
countries and 12 low income countries.
For example:
- Pakistan wants to improve the ability of the north of the country
to cope with floods, for example by improving drainage systems.
Rainfall in northern Pakistan has increased over the last 40 years,
and scientists predict that climate change will increase the
strength of the summer monsoon, as has occurred so tragically this
year. Funding work to make Pakistan more able to cope with floods
would both decrease the suffering caused by flooding and cut the
costs of reconstruction.
- Senegal wants to increase coastal protection to prevent rice
cultivation areas from being flooded with salt water, which
devastates crop yields. It is estimated that the economic cost of
rising sea-levels in coastal countries such as Senegal could be up
to 14 per cent of GDP.
- Nicaragua wants to build infrastructure to store rainwater, to
increase water security in times of drought. Annual precipitation
in Nicaragua is predicted to decrease as climate change worsens,
and there is some evidence that this has begun to happen.
...
The main block to successful use of the UN Adaptation Fund is its
lack of money. So far, the UN Adaptation Fund has been given $110
million from a tax on carbon offsets, and $7 million from donors;
$180 million in total. The $70 million given so far by donors can
be contrasted with the $6.2 billion given to the World Bank climate
investment funds by donors over recent years.
Projects currently submitted to the UN Adaptation Fund request
between just $3 million and $15 million. Such small amounts will be
able to have only a limited impact in particular locations. Rich
countries urgently need to meet their commitments and give
significant resources out of their pledged fast start finance to
the UN Adaptation Fund.
In UNFCCC negotiations, developing countries have continually
stated that climate finance needs to be under the authority of the
UNFCCC. The establishment and usage of democratic UNFCCC funds is
vital not only to ensuring developing country ownership of climate
finance. It is also a prerequisite to building up trust and
ultimately reaching new international agreements on tackling
climate change. Unfortunately, the UN Adaptation Fund has received
less than 1 per cent of money committed by donors so far as fast
start finance, and 0.3 per cent of money pledged in Copenhagen.
Eleventh meeting of the UN Adaptation Fund board
The eleventh meeting of the Adaptation Fund board will take place
in Bonn, Germany, on 16 and 17 September 2010. The meeting will
discuss proposals for funding from Senegal, Egypt, Guatemala,
Honduras, Madagascar, Mongolia, Niue and Uganda. The Board is drawn
from an equal representation of UN regions, countries particularly
vulnerable to climate change, and developed and developing country
parties to the Kyoto protocol. The Board currently consists of
individuals from:
- Senegal, representing Africa
- South Africa, representing Africa
- China, representing Asia
- Qatar, representing Asia
- Poland, representing Eastern Europe
- Georgia, representing Eastern Europe
- Jamaica, representing Latin America and the Caribbean
- Uruguay, representing Latin America and the Caribbean
- Norway, representing Western Europe
- Sweden, representing Western Europe
- Fiji, representing Small Island Developing States
- Tanzania, representing Least-Developed Countries
- France, representing developed country parties to Kyoto
- Japan, representing developed country parties to Kyoto
- Colombia, representing developing country parties to Kyoto
- Pakistan, representing developing country parties to Kyoto
Climate Debt: A Primer
Third World Network, June 2009
[excerpts only: full text, with figures and footnotes, available at
http://www.twnside.org.sg/climate.htm]
A wealthy minority of the world's countries and corporations are
the principal cause of climate change; its adverse effects fall
first and foremost on the majority that is poor. This basic and
undeniable truth forms the foundation of the global climate justice
movement.
Climate change threatens the balance of life on Earth and with it
human communities everywhere. Addressing climate change requires
urgent actions by all peoples, rich and poor, and all countries,
developed and developing.
But to be effective the response to climate change must also be
fair. Developing countries and communities are unlikely to ignore
the wealthy's historical responsibility for the causes and
consequences of climate change. Nor are they likely to sit by while
a wealthy minority continues to consume an excessive proportion of
the Earth's limited environmental space. Nor should they.
Responsibilities of the rich
Atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases are higher today
than anytime in millennia. Emitted since the industrial revolution,
they have built up in the atmosphere, blanketing the Earth and
causing considerable warming. Responsibility for these emissions
lies principally with the developed countries. With less than one
fifth of the world's population they have grown wealthy while
emitting almost three quarters of all historic GHG emissions into
an atmosphere they share with all life on Earth.
Problems of the poor
The excessive emissions of the wealthy have destabilized the
climate, harming the poor and threatening our future. Already,
climate change is causing the oceans to rise and acidify; melting
ice caps, glaciers and permafrost; damaging forests, coral reefs
and other ecosystems; and intensifying fires, floods, droughts and
other extreme weather events. It is increasing water stress,
hindering the production of food, altering disease vectors and
threatening the infrastructure and resources that are the
life-blood of millions of people. Poor countries and communities
that have done least to cause climate change suffer first and worst
from its adverse effects.
The concept of climate debt
For their disproportionate contribution to the causes of climate
change and its adverse effects, developed countries owe a two-fold
climate debt.
For over-using and substantially diminishing the Earth's capacity
to absorb greenhouse gases - denying it to the developing countries
that most need it in the course of their development - the
developed countries have run up an "emissions debt" to developing
countries.
For the adverse effects of these excessive emissions - contributing
to the escalating losses, damages and lost development
opportunities facing developing countries - the developed countries
have run up an "adaptation debt" to developing countries.
The sum of these debts - emissions debt and adaptation debt -
constitutes the "climate debt" of developed countries.
Emissions debt
The extent of developed countries' emission debt reflects their
excessive past, present and proposed future use of shared
environmental space. With less than 20% of the population,
developed countries have produced more than 70% of historical
emissions since 1850, far more than their fair share based on equal
per-person emissions.
After diminishing the Earth's environmental space - denying it to
poor countries and communities - the same rich countries now
propose consuming a disproportionate share of the remaining space
through until 2050 when compared to an equal per-capita share.
Developed countries representing a minority of people have
appropriated the major part of a shared global resource for their
own use - a resource that belongs to all and should be fairly
shared with the majority of people.
By basing their future "assigned amounts" of emissions on their
past excessive levels, they are effectively proposing to write-off
the full amount of their historical emissions debt), and to
simultaneously appropriate trillions of dollars of remaining
atmospheric space which should rightfully be allocated to the
South.
Their proposals, if adopted, would lock developing countries into
low and rapidly decreasing per-capita shares, denying them the
environmental space needed to build the houses, schools, roads and
infrastructure that developed world already has. Their proposals
would deepen the debt of developed countries rather than honoring
it, leveraging past injustices into a future climate regime, and
proposing a system in which the "polluter profits" and the "poor
pays" for the excessive historical and current consumption of the
rich countries.
Adaptation debt
As well as freeing up environmental space, developed countries must
accept responsibility for the adverse effects of their historical
and continuing high per-person emissions on poor communities and
countries. Among the hardest hit are:
- Farmers and farming communities. In some countries rain-fed
agriculture is expected to drop by up to 50% by 2020, leaving
millions of people without food.
- Indigenous and local communities. Indigenous peoples and local
communities are harmed by changing ecosystems and threats to
traditional livelihoods.
- Women. 70% of the world's poor are women. Women provide half of
the world's food. They are hardest hit by climate change and must
be at the center of any solution.
- Poor communities. At particular risk are people concentrated in
high-risk areas, such as coastal and river flood plains, or areas
prone to extreme weather events.
- People relying on scarce water resources. Between 75 and 250
million of people are likely to face increased water stress by 2020
due to climate change.
- Communities susceptible to health impacts. The health of millions
of people will likely be affected through increased malnutrition,
increased disease burden and death and injury due to extreme
weather events.
These impacts are caused by the historical emissions that have led
to current levels of warming, and that will lead to considerable
future "committed" warming as the Earth's oceans and other systems
warm. The very existence of some communities is threatened while
others face serious impediments to their efforts to lift billions
of people out of poverty and to promote development.
There is no way to predict the full extent of future adverse
impacts and costs - emission pathways are uncertain and the climate
system is too complex. However, any just approach to climate change
must ensure that those who have benefited in the course of causing
climate change compensate the victims of climate change. They
should cover the full costs of avoiding adverse impacts and provide
compensation for those harms that cannot be avoided. This
constitutes the adaptation debt of the rich industrialized world to
poor countries, communities and people.
...
Repaying climate debt
The wealthy industrialized world must take responsibility for
repaying the full measure of their climate debt. Doing so is not
merely right; it also provides the basis of an effective climate
solution. A fair and effective climate solution requires at a
minimum that:
- Developed countries repay the full measure of their adaptation
debt to the developing countries and communities who did little to
cause climate change and are its first victims. They must provide
financing and technology to ensure full compensation for losses
suffered, and the means to avoid or minimize future impacts where
possible. They should commit to fully repay their adaptation debt
to developing countries, commencing immediately.
- Developed countries must repay the full measure of their emission
debt to developing countries and communities. There will be no
sustainable climate solution if developed countries seek to
continue polluting at 70% or more of their 1990 levels all the way
through until 2020 (consistent with 30% cuts). To avoid deepening
their debt, developed countries must seek to become carbon neutral
and more. Reflecting their historical responsibility, their
assigned amounts of atmospheric space in any future year should be
even lower. They must take a lead in cutting emissions through deep
domestic reductions, and by accepting assigned amounts that reflect
the full extent of their historical emissions debt.
- Developed countries must provide the financing and technology
required by developing countries to live under the twin constraints
of a more hostile climate and restricted atmospheric space. They
must honor their obligation to provide the full incremental costs
of emission reductions undertaken in developing countries, so that
these countries can play their part in curbing climate change,
while still meeting the needs and aspirations of their people.
AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication
providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with
a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus
Bulletin is edited by William Minter.
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