Countdown to Copenhagen

The countdown to Copenhagen, the final negotiating round of the 15^th Conference of Parties (COP15) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is almost over, and effectively addressing the impacts of climate change on the world's poor is a hot topic for discussion at the summit.

The impacts of climate change will hit the developing world first and worst, and threaten to erase progress developing countries have made in combating poverty and disease. To achieve an ambitious and fair deal in Copenhagen that addresses the disproportionate impact of climate change on developing countries, minimizes the number of people forced into extreme poverty, and preserves the gains made in poverty eradication, we propose the following:

For Adaptation:

• Agree to significant adaptation financing scaling up to between $75-100 billion annually, from both public and private sources.
• Ensure that public financing will be additional to existing ODA pledges from developed countries.

For Mitigation:

• Transferability of carbon offsets generated internationally;
• Reform the "Clean Development Mechanism" (CDM) to make it easier for developed countries to tap into Africa's carbon offset potential; and
• An operational plan for the "Reduced Emissions by Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD)" program and the provision of start-up finance.

The impacts of climate change are already a reality. On the African continent, for example, there have been severe floods in Zambia, Mozambique, and Senegal, a shift in rain patterns in Uganda, and huge areas of land in places like Ethiopia are experiencing longer and more intensive periods of drought. These are just the first signs of climate change.  Estimates indicate that by 2020 some regions in Africa could see crop yields from rain-fed agriculture fall by up to 50 percent and 75-250 million people additionally could be affected by water scarcity.

Funds generated from climate financing could allow for seawalls, levees, dams, and other necessary infrastructure to prevent against devastating floods and droughts. Funds could also support non-infrastructure initiatives that help communities adapt to climate change, including adopting alternative livelihood activities that are less vulnerable to climate change, and engaging in climate resilient agriculture practices. Operationalization of REDD will help African countries use their forests (natural carbon sinks) to finance development while conserving these valuable resources on which many people rely for their livelihoods. And, changes made to the Clean Development Mechanism will help African countries more fully participate in offsetting developed-country emissions, which could also help finance development.

The nexus between climate change and development has become much clearer among policy makers. In the U.S., for example, a bill has been introduced in the Senate that will channel 2.25% of climate financing towards poor countries to help them adapt to, endure, or avoid negative effects of climate change.

From resource scarcity such as the lack of water, to increased spread of diseases like malaria, to crop failures, to the mass migration of people from coastlands, to intensifying conflict as seen in the Darfur region of Sudan, the effects of climate change on the world's poorest has the potential to be a threat multiplier for instability. World leaders must take full advantage of the Copenhagen meetings to listen to African voices, and produce an agreement that will allow developing countries to confront the climate challenge.