By Guest Writer
Opinion: While heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors were in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, for COP28 between November 30 and December 12, 2023, they tabled their demands, including the loss and damage fund that was initially agreed upon during COP27 that was held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, in 2022.
Fortunately, the loss and damage fund was operationalized, and countries from the global North pledged to provide funds equivalent to $700 million, including $108 million from both Italy and France, $100 million from the UAE and Germany, and $17.5 million from the U.S., to help the lower-income countries cope with the loss and damage caused by climate change.
Currently, 17 out of the 20 countries most threatened by climate change are located in Africa. According to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (2021), Uganda ranks as the 13th most vulnerable country in the world to climate change and 160th out of 192 nations in readiness to confront the threat.
With the drastic effects of climate change that the global South and African countries have been registering in the previous years, the provision of a loss and damage fund that is still unmet is fundamental if they are to minimize the effects of climate change.
On Saturday, 2024, a group of climate activists led by Debt for Climate Change were reported by the media demanding the G77 amplify their voices over the loss and damage fund during the G77+China summit.
This is because the G77 is the largest intergovernmental group of emerging countries in the United Nations that provides the means for the countries of the global south to articulate and promote their collective economic interests, enhance their joint negotiation positions on major international economic issues within the UN system, and promote South-South cooperation for development.
In addition, during the G77 and China summit in Uganda, the presidents were also demanding the same: that it is now time for developed countries to react to the issues regarding climate change in developing countries. And to react to the climatic issues, the loss and damage fund must be provided to the developing countries, especially African countries, since they are the ones most affected by climate change.
Lastly, I plead with the countries from the global south, most especially the African countries, to collaborate and come up with a common agenda for ensuring that once the loss and damage funds are provided, they are put to good use for transparency and accountability purposes. This way, the relationships between countries in the global north and the global south will be strengthened, resulting in strong working relationships.
The author is Hildah Nsimiire, a climate change activist.
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