The Secretary-Basic, Patricia Scotland KC, will lead the Commonwealth delegation on the United Nations Local weather Change Convention (COP28) in Dubai to name for accelerated motion on the local weather disaster in gentle of intensifying threats to small and susceptible member nations.
Scheduled from 30 November to 12 December 2023, the annual summit comes simply months after Commonwealth atmosphere ministers committed to accelerating local weather motion at their inaugural assembly, held alongside the 78th Session of the United Nations Basic Meeting in New York Metropolis.
The Secretary-Basic, who will ship at the very least 20 speeches throughout the summit, will urge negotiators to ship a transformative consequence on the summit.
This consists of accelerating efforts to implement nationwide local weather plans mandated underneath the Paris Settlement, utilizing the findings of the ‘international stocktake’ report to extend ambition and motion, and delivering an inclusive, operational Loss and Harm Fund.
Secretary-Basic Patricia Scotland will formally open the Commonwealth Pavilion COP28, which can host about 40 occasions throughout the 2 weeks, demonstrating the Commonwealth’s capability to convene important dialogues between governments, consultants, companies, youth leaders and civil society.
She can even meet with leaders and ministers from Commonwealth member nations and throughout the worldwide group, to advance progress on emissions, finance, adaptation, biodiversity, oceans, well being, innovation and the inexperienced financial system.
‘No extra delays’
Forward of the summit, the Commonwealth Secretary-Basic mentioned: “The worst predictions of local weather change have develop into a each day actuality. Within the Commonwealth’s most susceptible nations, fertile lands are turning to mud, wells are operating dry, storms and floods are overwhelming communities, and the ocean is rising.
“This represents not solely a menace to the well being, welfare and survival of thousands and thousands of individuals, however to our collective stability and financial prospects.
“But as local weather change advances, the hole on emissions, finance and justice has widened, whereas the window for motion continues to slender. COP28 should shut that hole.
“Daily of delay makes life extra harmful, and makes local weather motion extra advanced, difficult and costly. There might be no extra delays, and no extra excuses – that is the time for implementation.”
“The well being of us all and of our planet rests on a 1.5°C diploma cap on international warming,” she added. “We can not lose sight of that goal, and I implore leaders at COP28 to resume their willpower to ship a shiny, resilient, sustainable widespread world – now and for generations to return.”
In the course of the summit, the Secretary-Basic will name for elevated help for small and susceptible states, highlighting that regardless of formidable pledges, these nations are receiving restricted funds to mitigate, adapt to and construct resilience in opposition to the impacts of local weather breakdown.
She can even draw consideration to the broader penalties of the local weather disaster on financial progress, resulting in excessive debt burdens, meals insecurity, confused assets, and impaired livelihoods for lots of the 2.5 billion folks residing throughout the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth response
Secretary-Basic Scotland will inform delegates at COP28 in regards to the Commonwealth’s programme, designed to help its member nations – together with 33 small states – in coping with the challenges posed by the local weather disaster.
These embrace:
- the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, which has mobilised US $310 million in local weather finance for 17 susceptible Commonwealth nations, with a further US $500 million within the pipeline;
- the Commonwealth Blue Charter, which is an settlement by all 56 member nations to actively co-operate to deal with shared ocean challenges;
In gentle of 2023 being designated because the Commonwealth Year of Youth, the Commonwealth delegation can even host a sequence of occasions centered on selling youth-led motion on challenges posed by local weather change.
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