COP27: Egypt launches adaptation plan for developing countries

In response to the devastating impacts of climate change affecting vulnerable people all over the world, Egypt – the host country of COP27 in partnership with the UN Climate change High-Level Champions and the Marrakech Partnership has launched the Sharm-El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda.

The Sharm-El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda outlines 30 adaptation outcomes to enhance resilience for four billion people living in the most climate-vulnerable communities by 2030.

The launch is coming at a time when research has warned that nearly half the world’s population will be at severe risk of climate change impacts by 2030, even in a 1.5-degree world according to the analysis published by the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change AR6 WG II report.

Sameh Shoukry, COP27 president and Egypt’s minister of Foreign Affairs said the Sharm-El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda is a critical step at COP27.

“We are determined to develop a governance arrangement that secures continuity in scope, priorities, and reporting while increasing action on the ground that accelerates system interventions, and the adaptation and resilience outcome targets identified by the High-Level Champions,” Shoukry said.

“During our Presidency, we look forward to The Marrakech Partnership, the High-Level Champions and specialized UN agencies working together to ramp up an agenda of global adaptation action by following up on the implementation of the Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda.”

Read also: COP 27: Rich nations rethink opposition to climate disaster compensation fund

Also, Mahmoud Mohieldin UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP27: “The Outcomes were identified jointly with a broad range of active stakeholders, reflecting existing and new global targets based on science along with local knowledge and initiatives.”

“At the core of the outcomes is the recognition that adaptation is often locally-driven and globally relevant, while simultaneously needing to address equity, diversity and justice.”

This agenda will accelerate the race to resilience global goal of making four billion vulnerable people more resilient by 2030.

According to him, $140 to $300 billion needs to be mobilised across both public and private sources annually with a minimum target of 50 percent for adaptation, as called by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

“Of particular concern and focus is Africa, where the private finance share in the total financing of climate adaptation efforts is not more than 3% ($11.4 billion). Seven times that amount will be needed annually until 2030.”

Simon Stiell UNFCCC executive secretary said the Sharm el-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda firmly puts key human needs at its core, along with concrete, specific action on the ground to build resilience to climate change.

“As the growing number of climate emergencies throughout the world clearly shows, focusing on adaptation is a crucial, pressing necessity.”

“The Adaptation Agenda outlines multiple actions and combines the commitments of governments and non-Party stakeholders into a joint vision and a joint plan. We need all stakeholders on board to deal with current and future impacts of climate change, and this is a prime example of how that can happen.”

The Agenda emphasises the urgency for counting with evidence-based, actionable adaptation plans for all actors, making climate risks visible and accessible, and deploying the locally-led adaptation principles.