Leaders of Civil Society from Most Vulnerable Countries (MVCs) expressed deep dissatisfaction on poor progress of MVC LDCs issues and demanded a concrete action plan to phase out fossil fuel by 2050 in Conference of Parties (CoP-28) by developed and big emitting countries to achieve 1.5-degree goal.
Same time, they also called the developed countries to speed up existing specialized 'Adaptation Funds' through adequate finance and prioritizing the MVCs' needs.
At a press conference, titled "LDC's and MVC Peoples' Expectations and CoP-28", during the ongoing Cop-28 Global Climate Conference in Dubai, they have made the demand.
Among the representatives from various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) including Ruchi Chowdhury of CANSA (Climate Action Network-South Asia), Avishek Shrestha from Nepal, Jocelyn Perry of Refugee International, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD, Md Shamsuddoha from Centre for Participatory Research and Development, Shamim Arfeen from AoSED, and Ziaul Hoque Mukta of CSRL participated and shared their insights, a press release issued on Saturday in Dhaka said.
The keynote on civil society expectations was presented by Aminul Hoque from EquityBD, Bangladesh.
In the keynote, Aminul Hoque said there is deep dissatisfaction observed regarding the output of the first week of negotiation process on temperature goal, financing on USD 100 billion and trend of continued under-financing to the Adaptation and Loss and Damages funds under UNFCCC.
He also criticizes some countries for exercising undue influence to derail the progress of the negotiation.
He put 3 key demands relating to the CoP-28 outcome. Those are the developed country parties will adopt a clear roadmap with concrete actions on mitigation, finance, and other supporting strategies for achieving 1.5-degree goal and the actions will be based on the GST (Global Stock-take) and its recommendations and followed by science; developed countries must leave their ill motive not to dilute the adaptation finance with land and escalate the existing specialize Adaptation Fund through declaring adequate financial support within CoP-28 beyond the GCF and new goal on mobilizing finance after 2025 onward, developed countries will take lead for this mobilization through ensuring the public sources but never include the LDC-MVCs in the process.
While speaking, Shamsuddoha opined that the GST has drafted four options for the move towards clean energy and achieving 1.5 degree goal and we support the first two that phased out the fossil fuel based on science and reaching global emission peaking target according Paris Agreement principle. So that global leaders must adopt the first two options.
Jocelyn Perry said, "Climate change displaces people and often affects displaced persons to a greater degree.
We are pleased to see the language on displacement and planned relocation in the Global Stock-take draft text released on Saturday. We also call on Parties to scale up action and support, including finance, technical assistance, to address displacement related to the adverse impacts and risks of climate change at the regional, national, sub-national and local level as urgent action."
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury stressed that enhancement of the mitigation ambitions of developed countries is fundamental to reach the 1.5 degree temperature goal and save the earth.
Ruchi Chowdhry said, "We push forward for phasing out of fossil fuels in line with the best available science and in alignment with the IPCC's 1.5 pathways, and the Paris Agreement's. We need a legal international treaty in this regard."
Sharif Jamil said, "We are experiencing the rapid change of climate that is forcing displacements. CoP 28 is going forward for 2nd week and we welcome the GST draft text, but commitment of climate finance is a drop in the sea. We demand adequate finance but coming through reparation and compensation along with non-debt instrument."
Avishek Shrestha quoted the financing gap for adaptation around 366 billion per year and even with the doubling of adaptation finance by 2025. He further underscores the need for a drastic increase in adaptation financing from developed countries activating the adaptation funds.
Shamim Arfeen criticize the meaningless commitment of financing by developed countries are hampering the effort of MVCs adaptation and resilient actions. He demanded real commitment that will be obligatory.
