Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change

Maryam Adli

There is abundant evidence that the climate is changing. Regardless human mitigation efforts, historical emissions have committed the planet to some degree of future warming, and it is likely that this warming will exceed the 2C barrier that many consider to be a sign of “dangerous” interference.

It appears more possible that there will be 4C of global warming by 2100 if an international framework for stabilizing emissions cannot be established. Adaptation is unavoidable.

Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change

The majority of the effects of climate change are felt by those who are poor, who are the least accountable for greenhouse gas emissions. CARE is already observing how global social and economic inequities, including gender inequality, are being made worse by climate change, which is also undermining and reversing development successes.

Climate change is having a major impact on everything CARE does and is a serious danger to our goal of a society free from poverty and characterized by social justice, tolerance, and optimism. In the absence of swift action, this can prevent impoverished and marginalized individuals from achieving a variety of sustainable development and anti-poverty objectives.

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As a result of its experiences, CARE has created a variety of learning resources, participates in lobbying and communications, and is already actively assisting communities in building resilience and adapting to the effects of climate change.

Globally, the years 2015–2016 and the preceding ones saw absolute records for temperatures. Every month in 2016 showed a global increase in temperature over the previous year, and the largest increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The effects of climate change have caused pain for millions of people worldwide.

For instance, the drought caused by El Niño and exacerbated by climate change is making food insecurity worse, which is a clear sign of a serious lack of climate adaptation and catastrophe readiness. There is an unprecedented number of people being displaced from their homes throughout the world, many of them as a result of catastrophic weather occurrences. The magnitude of this humanitarian calamity surpasses that of the Second World War.

Nineteen nations—Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States—and the European Union make up the G20, which was established in 1999.

As the greatest polluters in the world, accounting for more than 80% of current greenhouse gas emissions, the G20 has a duty to spearhead the reduction of emissions through the switch to renewable energy sources and sufficient climate funding.

The G20 also represents 85% of the global GDP. Naturally, the duties among the group of nations range, with varying amounts of total historical and present emissions as well as varying UN Climate Change Convention commitments. For instance, compared to India, the US and Canada now have per capita emissions that are around ten times greater.

As global temperatures rise, the G20 must make a strong commitment to tackling and adapting to climate change, as well as playing a key role in fulfilling the obligations outlined in the Paris Agreement to keep global temperatures from exceeding 1.5°C.

The G20 nations have a big say in how the global climate change policy is formulated and carried out. Along with further work toward implementing the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, the German G20 Presidency chose to include climate change and sustainable energy on the 2017 agenda. The Climate Vulnerable Forum/V20 and other vulnerable countries organizations have pushed the G20 to adopt more aggressive measures.

With a varied analysis that acknowledges the variety of the block, the purpose of this paper is to delve further into the G20’s involvement in addressing climate change from the perspective of the poorest and most vulnerable people. From the standpoint of vulnerable nations and civil society, the inclusion of the objective in the Paris Climate Change Agreement to pursue measures to limit global warming to 1.5°C, over pre-industrial levels were a significant accomplishment.

Now, swift, forceful, and ambitious action to cut emissions must be taken in response. It is imperative that nations make every effort to adhere to the 1.5oC limit set forth in the Paris Agreement.

Various assessments predict that a global temperature increase of three or more degrees will bring about calamity, even with existing plans for emission reduction on the table. Beyond a 1.5°C threshold, however, the detrimental effects of climate change on the environment and human population sharply worsen: sea levels will rise, heatwaves will occur more frequently, and many agricultural crops would probably suffer.

It will take swift action to reduce emissions and phase them out over time by switching to renewable energy sources, reducing consumption, and making more sustainable investments in order to stop such a rise in temperature. Numerous necessary technologies are already on the market and are becoming less expensive.

Here are some recommendations to be followed:

Protect the poor against the effects of climate change:
The G20 nations ought to pledge to do more to safeguard the weak and impoverished, especially women and girls, from the effects of climate change. Proactive adaptation, pro-poor insurance strategies, and financial investments in social safety networks in emerging nations at risk should all be part of this. Developed nations in the G20, in particular, must dramatically increase adaptation funding to developing nations by 2020.
Additional funding is also required to address loss and damage resulting from individuals experiencing climate effects that exceed their capacity for adaptation. Collaboration with other nations—particularly with Africa and the V20/Climate Vulnerable Forum—should promote climate resilience in all of its endeavors, including infrastructure development.

Encourage the reduction of radical emissions toward the 1.5°C limit:
Under the Paris Agreement, each of the G20 countries shall submit a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) with a high and similar ambition level, enough to set the world on a rapid emission reduction route that is compatible with the 1.5°C limit. By 2018, they have to pledge to support their NDCs with verifiable and open national low-GHG emission development plans. Together with this, there should be tangible action plans to cut emissions. One such plan should be to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy and almost zero emissions. With an emphasis on eradicating energy poverty, other aspirational nations, such as the 48 members of the V20/Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), should get aggressive support as they make the shift to 100% renewable energy.
In climate action, advocate for human rights and gender equality:
G20 nations should pledge to fully promote gender equality and human rights in all climate action, in accordance with their obligations under the Paris Agreement, the SDGs, and human rights laws. The G20 nations should pledge to routinely share best practices and provide updates on any advancements made in this area, including with reference to the NDCs. Additionally, they ought to pledge their support for the UNFCCC’s efforts to create a robust gender action plan.
Reduce fossil fuel subsidies gradually and shift to sustainable financing:
the G20 must decide to phase off all fossil fuel subsidies in a fair and impoverished manner. In order to stay inside the 1.5°C limit, the G20 should establish a procedure to start the rerouting of domestic and international public funds connected to energy to solely promote affordable, clean, safe, and healthy sources of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The G20 has to work together to promote poverty-sensitive carbon pricing and sustainable financial investments, both of which may increase public funding for SDG and climate action.

09-07-2024

Maryam Adli, Azerbaijan Correspondent – Mahabahu

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