OACPS Secretary-General calls for acceleration of climate ambitions and finance to save the most vulnerable
Brussels, 22 September 2021/OACPS: Ahead of the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which is scheduled to start on 1 November, H.E. Mr Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), highlighted the priority issues for the OACPS and called on all parties to not only commit to increase, but also to speed up climate ambitions at COP26 and beyond, during a virtual High-Level Dialogue with Key Partners in preparation for COP 26 on 15 September 2021.
“I call upon and urge all Parties to commit to further strengthening their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). I also call on all Parties to increase climate ambitions and adaptation actions (giving them the same weight as mitigation), and to scale up technical and financial support to least developed and most vulnerable countries”, said Secretary-General Chikoti.
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report confirms that global warming will rise from 1.5 °C to 2 °C by the middle of the 21st Century, unless immediate, profound, large-scale and sustained measures are taken to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions.
According to Secretary-General Chikoti, rising temperatures and the impacts of climate change are higher in the 79 countries of the OACPS than the global average. Yet these nations have contributed the least to global warming, and their economies, livelihoods, human health and ecosystems are among the most severely affected.
“We are counting on the strong leadership from developed countries at COP26, to provide clarity, reliability and predictability on how they will fulfil their long-term commitments to mobilise at least US$100 billion in climate finance in the post-2020 period and beyond, for the poorest populations most affected by the climate crisis”, emphasized the Secretary-General.
For more information on the key issuesof the OACPS’ for COP26, click here for the Resolution on Climate Action for COP26, approved at the 112th Session of the OACPS Council of Ministers held on 7 and 8 July 2021.