Your Daily Guide to COP16 #3
What’s happened in the negotiations?
EU and Fast Start Finance
During the last two days, there has been a lot of discussion on the so-called Fast Start Finance, FSF (Developed countries committed in Cop15 to provide $30 billion in climate funding during 2010-2012). The EU has pledged €7.2 billion or €2.4 billion annually. The EU published its first annual FSF report on Tuesday and NGOs organised their own side event the following day on the EU’s performance.
The EU report includes a new annex with detailed examples on the uses of the funds. This is a clear improvement since the Preliminary state of play report from June. However, many member states have not submitted the data and quality of the data varies. We still do not know where the money comes from i.e. that it is not diverted from the ODA commitments. There is an adaptation gap as only 1/3 of the money goes to adaptation. The EU still has to specify how it will ensure that the most vulnerable will be prioritised as they have promised. In addition, it is worrying that more than half of the money is provided in the form of loans.
FSF sets the case for the long term finance and it’s pertinent to address these concerns, not only vis-à-vis the EU, but all the rich countries. We welcome the EU’s willingness to improve its reporting and are looking forward to continuing the dialogue
Update on Time for Climate Justice activities
Food for all in a warming world?
Around 100 people attended a side event yesterday called “Food for all in warming world? Agricultural systems that enable adaptation and support ecosystems”. The event was organised by Brot für die Welt, Church Development Service from Germany and Practical Action from the UK.
Today, agriculture is getting a more prominent role in climate discussions, because it contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, it also has huge potential as a carbon sink, through soil sequestration.
But agriculture is more than this – it should provide livelihoods for billions of people world-wide. However, today’s globalised food system increases hunger and degrades ecosystems. It doesn’t have to be like this. The side-event focused on small-holder agricultural farming, which very often is sidelined by the dominant commercial, free-trade model of faming. Small-holder farmers already produce food in ways that reduce poverty, lessen climate change and cool the planet, restore ecosystems and improve the livelihoods of billions of people.
Four panellists, including Richard Brand from Church Development Services, presented their experiences with small-holder farming and discussed the action that’s needed to support and promote this sector. There was a consensus that a business-as-usual approach in agriculture is not an option. Malla Reddy from Accion Fraterna in India explained that many NGOs in India characterise this mainstream approach as HEIDA – High External Input Destructive Agriculture.
What should be done? A shift in agricultural policy is needed. The guiding principle should be food sovereignty but other important elements are:
- respecting the right to food
- supporting a rights-based approach
- promoting sustainable methods
- strengthening local, biodiverse food production
- introducing empowerment and capacity building
- making markets and research work for the needs of small-scale producers.
Discussions also covered competition for land between food, feed and fuel.
What you can do today
Visit our photo exhibition
You´ll find the exhibition next to the cantina in the Cancun Messe, Hall C.
Send your message to world leaders!
Visit the Time for Climate Justice stand between 3-5 pm today and have your photo taken. The photos will be uploaded on our web page www.climatejusticeonline.org and exhibited during COP17 in South Africa.
Our stand is located in Cancun Messe, Hall C, close to the main entrance. Look for booth number 136 and the Time for Climate Justice signs.
Looking forward
Side event:
Faith based organisations advocate for climate justice
Communities address climate change, poverty and sustainable development, offering ethical contributions to international negotiations through awareness raising, social mobilization and advocacy. Case study on Nicaragua and interfaith theological approaches from Christian and Muslim perspectives.
Time: Tuesday, Dec 7. 11.30-1pm.
Venue: Monarca (Cancunmesse Hall D)
Words from one of our partners
Categories: COP16 blog, News, UN Talks