Cop28 draft adaptation text lists 7 targets expresses concern over finance gap

Cop28 draft adaptation text lists 7 targets expresses concern over finance gap

The GGA has been much debated as developing countries have maintained that the financial support from developed nations on adaptation has been paltry.

A new draft text on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) released on Wednesday at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai lists seven targets, including significantly reducing climate-induced water scarcity, for implementation by and beyond 2030.

The GGA has been much debated. Developing countries have maintained that the financial support from developed nations on adaptation has been paltry.

The text calls for enhancing climate resilience to water-related hazards and seeks a climate-resilient water supply, sanitation, and access to safe and affordable potable water for all. It underlines the need for attaining climate-resilient food and agricultural production and supply and distribution of food, as well as increasing sustainable and regenerative production and equitable access to adequate food and nutrition for all.

The text seeks resilience against climate change-related health impacts, promoting climate-resilient health services, and significantly reducing climate-related morbidity and mortality, particularly in the most vulnerable communities.

It calls for reducing climate impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity and accelerating the use of ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions, including through their management, enhancement, restoration, and conservation and the protection of terrestrial, inland water, mountain, marine, and coastal ecosystems.

The text backs increasing the resilience of infrastructure and human settlements to climate change impacts to ensure basic and continuous essential services for all and minimising climate-related impacts on infrastructure and human settlements. It underlines the need for substantially reducing the adverse effects of climate change on poverty eradication and livelihoods particularly by promoting adaptive social protection measures for all.

The text calls for protecting cultural heritage from the impacts of climate-related risks by developing adaptive strategies for preserving cultural practices and heritage sites and designing climate-resilient infrastructure, guided by traditional knowledge, Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, and local knowledge systems.

It expresses concern over the widening gap in adaptation finance and reiterates the call for developed countries to at least double their collective provision of climate finance for adaptation to developing nations from 2019 levels by 2025 to achieve a balance between mitigation and adaptation in the provision of scaled-up financial resources.

The text urges developed countries and invites other parties to provide resources voluntarily. The text asks the United Nations, specialised agencies, and other relevant organisations, as well as bilateral and multilateral agencies, to mobilise support, including private finance, for developing nations for the implementation of the framework for the global goal of adaptation.