Over the last few years, we have seen a significant increase in awareness by the humanitarian community of the impacts of the climate crisis and humanitarian engagement in UNFCCC processes. Following on COP26 in Glasgow last year, we saw a far greater presence of humanitarian actors, engaging and raising awareness of the impacts of climate change on the most vulnerable. However, ahead of the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference or COP27, which will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh in November this year, the humanitarian community needs to further articulate its collective role in implementing solutions to the climate crisis. How does COP27 relate to the work of humanitarian actors and how can they engage in the proceedings to make sure that the discussions take into account humanitarian needs?
Commitment #6 of the Climate and Environment Charter encourages humanitarian organizations to use their influence to mobilize urgent and more ambitious climate action and environmental protection. The Charter commits us to work together to foster ambitious action on climate change adaptation and mitigation and to ensure protection of those who are most vulnerable so that they are not left behind. The humanitarian sector is uniquely placed to influence legal and policy frameworks to better channel resources and attention towards vulnerable and at-risk people. We can leverage our presence, expertise, and insight to work with multilateral institutions, governments, and other organizations to ensure that greater focus on the impacts of this crisis on communities and people we serve are taken into consideration at decision-making levels. On 30 June, join us for a webinar on how we can make COP27 an opportunity for this.
This webinar aims to:
- Raise awareness of the UNFCC process and the importance of this year’s COP27 and how it links to humanitarian action
- Discuss why humanitarian organizations need to engage to bring in humanitarian perspectives on the topic of Loss and Damage in the lead-up to COP27
- Highlight the modalities and strategies for humanitarian NGOs to engage in the preparatory work for COP27
Recommended resources
Participants in the session recommended various resources on the topics discussed. Please find these collected below.
General
- Guidance on Commitment #6 of the Climate Charter (“Use our influence to mobilize urgent and more ambitious climate action and environmental protection”)
- Introduction to Climate Action (UNFCC)
- COP26 (Glasgow) Outcomes
- COP27 (Sharm El-Sheikh) information
- IPCC Reports
- World Disasters Report on Climate Crisis (IFRC, 2020)
- Footing the Bill (Oxfam, June 2022)
- Africa Climate Week 2022 (29 August-1 September 2022)
Common humanitarian positions
- Common Narrative on Climate Crisis (IASC, April 2021)
- IASC Principals Statement for 2021 UNFCCC COP
- Joint messages for COP26 on human mobility (Advisory Group on Climate Change and Human Mobility)
- To engage in the negotiations it is vital to do this with your partners and not alone. So engaging via your constituency is essential. For marginalised groups the key is the Indigenous peoples constituency more information here: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/2020_Constituency_Focal_Points.pdf
Loss and Damage
- Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM)
- UNFCCC Guide to Loss and Damage
- Loss and Damage Collaboration
- Review of the Climate Technology Centre and Network – To inform ongoing negotiations to establish the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage (Practical Action, June 2021)
- Policy brief on the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage:CTCN Policy Brief (Practical Action, October 2021)
- Santiago Network Website
- Assessing and addressing climate-induced loss and damage in Nepal (Practical Action, August 2021)
- Assessing and addressing climate-induced loss and damage in Bangladesh (Practical Action, August 2021)
- Assessing the performance of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage Associated with Climate Change Impacts(Practical Action, October 2021)
Displacement
- UNFCCC Task Force on Displacement
- Displacement: Uncertain Journeys (artists who have helped bring attention and policy action on disaster displacement)
Other
- Universal early warning initiative of the UN:
"UN: Early Warning Systems Must Protect Everyone Within Five Years" (UNFCC, 23 Mar 2022) - UN 2023 Water Conference
- Principles for locally led adaptation (IIED)
- ND-GAIN Country Index (summarizing a country's vulnerability to climate change and other global challenges in combination with its readiness to improve resilience)
How to register
Watch the recording at phap.org/30jun2022