LIMA, Peru, Dec. 05, 2014, CNS – The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today released a stunning new report on the gap in climate adaptation funding.
The report shows that even with emission cuts, climate change adaptation costs are likely to hit two to three times current estimates of $70-100 billion annually. It also shows that current spending on adaptation is nowhere near adequate.
Ibrahim Thiaw, UNEP’s Deputy Executive Director said every country in the world will have to adapt to climate change but developing countries are more vulnerable and have less capacity to deal with climate change.
“The report today will be focusing on developing countries (but) this does not mean that developed countries do not need to deal with adaptation as well,” Thiaw said.
In an immediate reaction to the report policy advisor for Oxfam Jan Kowalzig said it offers irrefutable evidence of the yawning gap between governments’ current efforts to protect communities and the dangerous realities of climate disruption.
“The report leaves no doubt, adaptation must be at the heart of a long term agreement developed here in Lima,” Kowalzig said.
“Communities around the world are drastically unprepared for the costly impacts of climate change, which is already destroying lives and livelihoods every day. The dangerous realities cannot be ignored.
Developed countries must urgently increase their support for developing countries to prepare. Negotiators here in Lima must put in place a roadmap showing how they will ramp up funding to meet their $100 billion annual commitment,” Kowalzig added.
