Deputy UN Chief, Amina Mohammed has called for climate action to cool the planet. According to her, the entire planet is going through “a season of fire and floods”. Amina Mohammed told a high-level meeting on climate action that fire and floods are primarily hurting fragile and vulnerable populations in rich and poor countries alike.

The Deputy UN chief was speaking via video conference to the Dialogue on Accelerating Adaptation Solutions ahead of COP26. This is an annual UN climate conference which will take place in Glasgow in November. The Deputy Secretary-General noted that there are already-visible impacts with a 1.2-degree rise.

“Countries and populations worldwide – particularly those most vulnerable and least responsible for the climate crisis – will experience even more devastating consequences. The effects will reverberate through economies, communities and ecosystems, erasing development gains, deepening poverty, increasing migration and exacerbating tensions”.
Amina Mohammed

Climate justice

Currently, there is a “bold and decisive steps” towards a net-zero global economy by 2050. As such, Ms. Mohammed said that the world could still limit global warming to within 1.5 degrees.

Furthermore, Ms. Mohammed said “acting now is a question of climate justice. And we have the solutions”. For now, a massively scaled-up investment in adaptation and resilience is “critical” for those at the frontlines of the climate crisis.

However, she informed the meeting that to date, only 21 percent of climate finance is channeled to adaptation efforts.

“Of the $70 billion that developing countries need now to adapt, only a fraction is being provided”.
Amina Mohammed

Meanwhile, the Deputy UN Secratary stated that adaptation costs to the developing world could rise. According to her, it could increase to as much as $300 billion dollars a year by 2030.

Closing the gap

In addition to being a moral imperative, there is also a clear economic case for early investments in adaptation and resilience building. The UN Deputy Chief stated that with this, “lives will be saved, and livelihoods protected”.

As such, Ms. Mohammad indicated that, this was why the Secretary-General had called on donors and multilateral development banks to allocate 50 percent of total public climate finance to adaptation and resilience.

Nevertheless, countries which need this support, continue to face severe challenges accessing climate finance. Ms. Mohammad stressed the importance of simplifying rules and easing access for LDCs, Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and other vulnerable nations.

Also, she emphasized the need to accelerate initiatives, such as the African Adaptation Acceleration Program jointly developed between Global Center on Adaptation and African Development Bank.

She indicated that the Program has the potential to deliver rapid and transformative results that protect lives and livelihoods. The Deputy UN Chief stated that it will also galvanize climate resilient actions to address the impacts of COVID-19, climate change and the economy.