Leaders at the international climate discussion in Egypt tried on Thursday November 17, 2022, to solve confrontation between developed and developing nations over compensation for climate disasters.
Poorer countries that bear the brunt of climate change, from rising sea levels to extreme flooding, demanded an immediate creation of a fund by major polluting countries to pay for damages.
There has been some form of resistance from a number of the developed countries.
Marshall Islands climate envoy, Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner, opined that this year’s gathering must agree on a compensation fund for climate disasters, known in negotiators’ parlance as ‘loss and damage’.
Loss and damage is about paying the cost of climate impacts that are already inevitable or occurring, such as extreme weather events and rising sea levels.
“Waiting for the next COP or even COP29 is not an option for us. We’re not walking away without this fund. We’ve been really clear. We need the fund now and it needs to be a fund.”
Kathy
However, there are big differences among the leaders over whether all big emitters should pay. Heavy polluters; China and India are arguing they should not have to contribute because they are still officially considered developing nations.
The issue of loss and damage is one of three financial aid options discussed. Rich nations agreed in past conferences to spend $100 billion a year to help poorer countries develop cleaner energy systems and adapt to prevent future disasters though they have lagged in giving the funds.
The coordinator for the AU Commission’s Great Green Wall Initiative, Paul Elvis Tangem, was doubtful that loss and damage will be agreed on this year. “But I believe that we’ll have a dedicated funding” at the next COP, he noted.
Israel And Jordan Team Up To Save Jordan River
Israel and Jordan signed a declaration of intent today, November 17, 2022, to conserve and protect their shared Jordan River which is almost running dry due to climate change, pollution and other threats.
The agreement, signed at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where world leaders are discussing how to mitigate the escalating impact from a changing climate, marks an important step in cooperation between the countries.
Recently, the once-rushing waters of the Jordan River have been reduced to a trickle as population growth and climate change take their toll.
Water cooperation was a key element of the 1994 peace treaty between the two countries but strained relations over the past decades complicated efforts to increase water supply to the Jordan River.
The plan is not detailed at the moment.
Nonetheless, it states that Israel and Jordan have promised to try to reduce river pollution by building up wastewater treatment facilities and upgrading sewer systems to prevent riverside cities from dumping raw sewage into the waters.
The two countries also aim to promote sustainable agriculture, controlling runoff from farm fields and reducing the use of pesticides.
“Cleaning up the pollutants and hazards, restoring water flow and strengthening the natural ecosystems will help us prepare and adapt to the climate crisis,” Minister of Environmental Protection, Tamar Zandberg intimated.
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