After 2 solid weeks ÷ 2days of intense negotiations, COP27 finally ended yesterday, Sunday 20, November 2022, with a win for some developing countries.
One of the thorny issues that took center stage at the negotiations was the insistence by developing countries that the Western world, or better put, rich nations, which have contributed most to climate change due to high greenhouse emissions, compensate them for the damage. This is called #LossandDamage in the Climate negotiations.
Developing countries including Ghana, and China called for a Loss and Damage Fund to be established to address the Loss and damage associated with the adverse impact of climate change. After several heated debates and negotiations, developing countries who had initially blocked the creation of a fund for Loss and damage have now agreed to have the Fund created but with a caveat that it should only address the needs of the "most vulnerable countries." The caveat was to prevent some so-called developing countries like China (who developed countries see as doing well) from accessing the fund when it finally becomes operational. Ghana according to reliable sources may also not qualify to access the funds because the developed country parties donot recognise Ghana as most vulnerable country.
So, this begs the question of why Ghana should joined the fray to ask for #LossandDamageFund to be created instead of following up on pledges made by donors and developed countries at #COP26 in Glasgow to increase their contribution to the Adaptation Fund (which Ghana has access to). Meanwhile, the adoption of the decision to create the Fund has come as a great news for some developing and Least developing countries, and Small Island Developing States. It is recalled that the issue of #LossandDamage was originally not included in the agenda item for discussion at #COP27. But at a later stage, developing countries lobbied the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to include the issue on the offcial agenda item for discussion at the COP27.
So it can be understood why there is so much joy for some developing countries - thus, finally developing countries have something to chew on while looking into the future of what the funding arrangement will look like. This is where it becomes tricky again.
Well, we leave to see what #COP28 in Dubai in 2023 brings.
Author
MaryJane Enchill