Cordaid will be attending the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Katowice Poland.
This conference will attempt to finalize the rules for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, which comes into effect in 2020. This agreement was adopted by 195 nations and aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change. It will do so by keeping the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and with the goal of not exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
“Accelerate the global response”
This year’s COP will take place against the backdrop of the recently published Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which states: “the next few years are probably the most important in our history”. The report makes clear we urgently need to “accelerate the global response to climate change to avoid exceeding the 1.5°C limit”.
This will be a critical opportunity to raise ambition not just on greenhouse gas mitigation but also on adaptation in light of the rising risks, especially for the most vulnerable. “The decisions we make today are critical in ensuring a safe and sustainable world for everyone, both now and in the future”, said Debra Roberts, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group II.
Partners for Resilience
During the COP24, Cordaid will act alongside strategic partnership Partners for Resilience (PfR). This global alliance consists of 60 civil society organizations, active at grassroots, national, regional and global level. It is represented in the Netherlands by Cordaid, Care Netherlands, Wetlands International, the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, and the Netherlands Red Cross. Representatives from all organizations, including local participants will be present at the COP24.
Cordaid will also coordinate with CIDSE, an international alliance of Catholic development agencies working together for global justice.
A few key messages Cordaid will promote are:
- Increase in Investments in Resilience.
- National adaptation plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to include a much stronger focus on the most vulnerable people.
- Ensure the Global Stocktake invites contributions from all stakeholders.
- Recognize and enable the work of non-state and local actors in implementing the Paris Agreement, including through the promotion of decentralized access to climate finance.