At the consultation session with national actors in the sector, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Barbara Creecy, recalled how South Africa and the African Group made the proposal at COP 27 to include specific needs and circumstances of the continent established, but no consensus was reached.
This proposal, he revealed, will be presented again at COP 28.
Recognizing the special circumstances of the African continent, he added, is an important step in upholding the principle of differentiated responsibility and would recognize the continent’s vulnerability to climate change, but also the need for support in mitigation and adaptation.
COP 28, the minister stressed, is taking place in a context in which we cannot simply congratulate ourselves on the obvious progress we have made, although important issues still need to be addressed.
First, he argued that while the establishment of a global loss and damage fund is a milestone, the task is to determine the details of the fund – how it will be financed, where the funding will come from and what form that funding will take of the most important points on the agenda in Dubai.
Likewise, Creecy continued, as with all COPs, financing will continue to be a key issue, as the financing targets promised by developed countries are still not being achieved.
At COP 28 there will be a renewed call for an expanded and predictable target for climate finance. The deadline for agreeing on this target is 2024 and the success of this COP and possibly future climate negotiations will depend on the outcome, the minister said.
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