Brussels, 11 August 2021/OACPS: The recently releasedReport of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC Report)clearly reaffirms that global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21^stcentury unless deep reductions in CO₂and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions occur as a matter of urgency. A human-induced phenomenon, climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the planet. The Report states that every additional 0.5°C of global warming will increase the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and heavy precipitation, as well as agricultural and ecological droughts in some regions.

“This report further reaffirms the need for urgent action to address climate change”, said H.E. Mr Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

The Secretary-General added, “For the 79 Members of the OACPS, which includes 38 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and 39 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 13 of which are also land-locked countries, climate change remains one of the greatest challenges to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It impacts the economies, livelihoods, human health and ecosystems of the Members of the OACPS.”

Secretary-General Chikoti further pointed out, “While the Member States of the OACPS have contributed the least to GHG emissions, they are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. As a result of the gravity of this unfortunate situation, the OACPS is on the frontlines, addressing climate change through building resilience and improving adaptation to climate change.” Speaking of the updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of the Members of the OACPS, Secretary-General Chikoti emphasized: “Our Member States are also ambitiously leading the fight against climate change by further reducing their GHG emissions towards low-carbon economies, as evinced in their NDCs.”

With the 26th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP26) on the horizon in early November, Members of the OACPS are collaborating with their regions and with UNFCCC climate negotiators, and are calling on other like-minded partners to join them in efforts to ensure that COP 26 delivers on the most pressing issues for developing countries including all 79 members of the OACPS. These issues are reflected in the recently endorsedResolution on Climate Action for COP26, of the 112^thSession of OACPS Council of Ministers held on 7 and 8 July 2021, which calls for:

1.Ambition

• Urgent action to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°;
• Provision of predictable, easily accessible, additional support to Vulnerable Countries;
• Strengthening of GHG reduction targets in NDCs, especially of developed countries.

2.Finance

• A new collective, quantified Financial Goal to be discussed at COP26;
• Clarity, certainty, and predictability by developed countries to mobilise at least US$100 billion in climate finance in the post-2020 period and beyond, as well as mechanisms to access finance;
• Developed countries to keep to their mitigation targets and contributions, despite COVID-19, and to promise to annually mobilise climate finance to support the needs of developing countries;
• Easier access to climate finance by Members of the OACPS, specifically LDCs, SIDS and African countries.

3.Adaptation

• Global momentum to accelerate action on adaptation (Global Adaptation Goal);
• Additional finance to support adaptation actions, NDCs and National Action Plans (NAPs), in most vulnerable countries including SIDS, LDCs and land-locked LDCs;
• Financial resources to be transparent, at-scale, appropriate, additional and predictable;
• Acceptance of the proposal by the OACPS to allocate proceeds (e.g.,at least 5%) from the Cooperative Mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to Adaptation Finance;
• Mitigation and adaptation to be treated equally, in the climate negotiations and actions.

4.Loss and damage

The need to ensure that Loss and damage are linked to the adverse effects of climate change in the operationalisation of the Paris Agreement.

5.Capacity building and technology

Developed countries to scale up technical and financial support to developing countries, including technology transfer and capacity building.

For more information, please contact:

Press Office at OACPS

Email: press@acp.int

Websites:

OACPS –https://www.acp.int;

Intra-ACP Global Climate Change Alliance Programme –https://intraacpgccaplus.org/