Climate change is a crisis that is there now, and it is essential to expand support for developing countries – also agreed at COP27
At COP27, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change held in Egypt in November, countries agreed to expand support for developing countries that are already severely affected. In recent years, the damage caused by climate change, such as prolonged droughts in northeastern Africa and large-scale flooding in Pakistan, has become more devastating, seriously affecting people’s lives.
Climate change is an urgent and critical issue. Now is the time for countries around the world to work together with developing countries to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and build societies that are resilient to climate change, and JICA is accelerating its efforts to help developing countries by incorporating its perspectives and knowledge on climate change countermeasures into a wide range of issues including energy, transportation, agriculture, and forestry.
The 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has, for the first time, formally addressed the issue of financial support for “loss and damage” in developing countries hit by climate change-related disasters such as floods, sea level rise, and droughts. The negotiations were difficult. Negotiations were difficult, but finally an agreement was reached to establish a new fund for developing countries.
Looking back on COP27, Masato Kawanishi, an international cooperation specialist in charge of the climate change countermeasures field at JICA, emphasizes that COP27 “was a COP for implementation” of climate change measures.
Although the Paris Agreement agreed to at COP21 in 2015 calls for “limiting the increase in global average temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels,” current efforts by countries are far short of that goal. Recognizing this gap, Mr. Kawanishi says that COP27 was an occasion to question what measures will actually be implemented.
The Emissions Gap Report 2022, a report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) just before COP27, points out that even if countries meet their current targets, the global average temperature increase is likely to be 2.4 to 2.6 degrees higher by the end of this century than during the Industrial Revolution. The World Bank estimates that without concrete measures, the number of people forced to migrate due to climate change will reach 216 million by 2050 (Note 1). This is precisely the time to take action.
Note 1: Groundswell Part 2: Acting on Internal Climate Migration, World Bank
JICA also held various discussions with stakeholders from various countries at COP27, including a side event entitled “JICA’s Climate Change Measures to Achieve the Paris Agreement” at the venue. One of the key words that came to mind was “just transition. In order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, it is essential not only to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a physical factor, but also to change the mindset of society as a whole. This year’s COP, as in the previous COP, allowed for face-to-face communication, and there was a growing sense of momentum at the venue as participants from each country directly confirmed their mutual awareness and direction and sought to move forward in the same direction.
Aiming to Balance Climate Change Measures and Sustainable Development JICA has taken up “climate change” as one of its 20 business strategies “JICA Global Agenda” to address issues in developing countries. The two main goals of the agenda are “promotion of implementation of the Paris Agreement” and “promotion of co-benefit-oriented climate change measures” that aim to achieve both, i.e., to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop socioeconomies through sustainable development. This approach incorporates both “mitigation measures,” which work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote absorption, and “adaptation measures,” which seek to address the still unavoidable effects of climate change.
If we don’t take action on climate change now, the consequences will be enormous. At the same time, however, taking action to avoid impacts can sometimes undermine development outcomes, making this a very difficult issue. Therefore, we need an approach that balances climate change action with sustainable development goals, and that reduces the negative correlation (trade-offs) while at the same time producing effects on climate change.
Mr. Kawanishi was once involved in a project to strengthen the Indonesian government’s capacity to address climate change. He recalls how he helped maintain a careful dialogue to ensure that even those in ministries not directly responsible for climate change shared the same awareness and incorporated climate change countermeasures into their respective areas of work. In order to achieve both climate change action and sustainable development, it is important to provide the necessary evidence, continue the dialogue, and work with developing countries to implement detailed measures so that everyone is working in the same direction.
JICA is now incorporating the perspective of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures from the project planning stage when addressing all development issues, including energy, transportation, urban development, agriculture, disaster prevention, and forest conservation. For example, projects for irrigation facilities in the agricultural sector are planned taking into account climatic changes such as floods and droughts. By incorporating climate change considerations and measures into project plans, we are building and raising awareness throughout the organization.
Co-Benefit-Based Climate Change Measures Taken in Developing Countries JICA has promoted climate change measures in 67 countries in 2021. For example, in Indonesia, JICA is supporting the formulation of climate resilient development plans by calculating the economic losses due to climate change and incorporating adaptation measures to minimize these losses in the country’s future development plans. In addition, the Pacific Climate Change Center has been established in Samoa for Pacific island countries whose survival is threatened by rising sea levels. The center is training personnel who will be in charge of climate change countermeasures for relevant ministries and agencies in Pacific island countries.
© Source JICA
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.