Building a global climate change alliance between the European Union and poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate change

PURPOSE: to establish a Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) between the EU and poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate change.

BACKGROUND: according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), most regions in the world, and especially those in the developing world, will be increasingly affected by climate change. Projections show that the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) will be hit earliest and hardest. Moreover, these countries have the fewest resources to prepare for these alterations, and to adapt their way of life. Climate change is therefore likely to further delay the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in many of these countries.

The European Union has taken a leadership role in promoting international action to tackle climate change. The Spring Council 2007 put forward concrete proposals for a post-2012 climate change agreement and committed to significant cuts in the EU's greenhouse gas emissions. The Alliance will provide for a platform for dialogue and exchange as well as practical cooperation to tackle the combined challenge of the fight against poverty and climate change, in support of the international negotiations on a post-2012 climate change agreement and the adoption of effective action at national level.

CONTENT: assistance provided under the Global Climate Change Alliance is proposed to focus on five areas:

1. Implementing concrete adaptation measures: supporting the implementation of adaptation action plans in LDCs and SIDS effectively committed to taking measures to respond to climate change; financing pilot adaptation projects focussing on the water and agricultural sectors, as well as on sustainable management of natural resources; supporting international collaborative research on the impacts of climate change in developing countries and regions.
2. Reducing emissions from deforestation: about 20% of global CO2 emissions are caused by deforestation. In LDCs, 62% of total emissions originate in land-use change, primarily deforestation. The objective is to create economic incentives for forest protection, while preserving livelihoods and ecosystems depending on forests.
3. Helping developing countries to benefit from the global carbon market, through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): the geographic distribution of CDM projects remains uneven. The bulk of the projects are currently located in Asia and Central/South America. Both capacity building and technical support are needed to increase the participation of LDCs and SIDS in the CDM.
4. Improving the preparedness of developing countries for natural disasters: improving climate monitoring, forecasting, and information systems; information sharing, knowledge management, early warning, and contingency planning; measures to help disaster-prone developing countries implement the Hyogo Framework, including building resilience and risk-sharing approaches (e.g. insurance schemes).
5. Integrating climate change into development cooperation strategies and poverty reduction efforts: the objective is to assist developing countries in systematically integrating climate change into development strategies and investments and into development cooperation.

In terms of funding, the Commission recalls that it already earmarked EUR 50 million to the GCCA over the period 2008-2010. But substantially more resources are needed to provide a response that adequately responds to the needs. Therefore, an appeal is made to the EU Member States to dedicate part of their agreed commitments to increase Official Development Assistance over the coming years to the cause of coping with climate change in the most vulnerable countries. The collective effort could take the form of a joint GCCA financing mechanism managed by the Commission and governed in such a way as to reflect the participation of the Commission and the Member States.